The Last Winter
by Ny Batteri
Summary: Lando Armitage returns to Cyrodiil to find a tyrannical Emperor has turned the province into a dictatorship, ruled under oppression. Beginning a revolt from his hometown of Chorrol he quickly discovers much more powerful forces are at work...
1. Arrival

Author's note - It's not necessary, but to get background information on the characters and what happened before this story you may want to read Liberation in the Morrowind section.**  
**

**Chapter 1 – Arrival**

Lando sat watching the Morrowind countryside, bathed in moonlight, slowly roll past as the horse-drawn carriage trundled down the road towards the Morrowind/Cyrodiil border. Ahead of them were the Valus mountains, which marked the border, behind them was barren countryside all the way back to Mournhold, where they had set off from many days ago. Alaina lay asleep next to him, resting her head on his shoulder. Delphine Jend, the Breton destructionist, who lived in Bravil but had been in Vvardenfell at the time and had hitched a ride with them, lay sleeping on the floor of the carriage. Lando couldn't sleep – he had too much on his mind. He had mysteriously appeared in Vvardenfell, with no memory of the previous week of his life, then spent the next few weeks of his life battling terrorists, corrupt guards and assassins, and then had found out he had been enchanted with a spell which could have literally made him explode. He had also lost his dear friend Ah-Mazia, and his comrade-in-arms Swordsman. But now he was on his way home, back to Cyrodiil, to his homeland of Chorrol, and normality, with the woman he loved.

_Morrowind/Cyrodiil border, the next morning_

Lando had finally managed a few hours' sleep, and woke up when the carriage suddenly drew to a halt at the border. He clambered out of the carriage and walked over to a small trough of water by the guardhouse, washing his face and running his wet hands through his straggly brown hair. He took in his surroundings – they were in a large valley between two enormous mountains. This was one of two passes through the Valus mountains, the other being a far more treacherous route out of the Argonian town of Gideon and across Blackwood towards Lewayiin.

Blocking the road through the valley was a guardhouse where several Imperial guards stood, and a large gate forged from steel blocked the road.

Lando walked towards the guardhouse, and Alaina and Delphine joined him. A guard approached them.

"You" the guard said, looking at Lando. "Who are you and where are you from?"

"Captain Lando Armitage of the Imperial Legion, comrade" Lando replied. "I'm based in Chorrol"

"An Imperial, then, Captain" the guard said with a hint of dubiousness about his voice. "Very well, you may proceed. And yourself, ma'am?" he said as he turned to Alaina.

"Alaina Winterstar. I'm Imperial by blood but I have been living in Morrowind. I seek passage to return to my homeland"

The guard nodded. "I know the Winterstar family. You have a few distant relatives living in Anvil, I believe. You may proceed"

The guard turned to Delphine. An instant look of untrusting came over him.

"A Breton? What is your business in Cyrodiil?"

"Oh, for the love of the Nine, I live here!" Delphine snapped. "I have been in Morrowind on business" She reached into her small bag and produced a wad of papers – her passport and the land deed to her house in Bravil, and her certificate of membership of the Cyrodiilic Guild of Mages.

"Everything seems to be in order" the guard said. "I apologise for taking your time"

Two other guards swung the heavy gate open as Lando, Alaina and Delphine mounted the carriage as it rolled into Cyrodiil.

"It's funny" Lando said. "I don't remember security being that tight at the border"

"It definitely wasn't like that when I left" Delphine replied.

_Chorrol town gates, later that day_

The horse-drawn carriage came to a halt at the gates. Lando noticed that an unusually high amount of guards were on patrol inside the city. Lando and Alaina stepped down from the carriage and collectively paid the horseman the 350 gold the journey had cost them. Delphine Jend had parted company with them when they had reached Cheydinhal, making her own way back to Bravil.

"Right, to the Oak and Crosier" Lando said to Alaina. "I'll show you what a true pint of ale tastes like"

"_That's a nice sword you have there, Lando!"_ a voice shouted. Lando swivelled round and saw a guard running out of the guardhouse towards him. Lando instinctively drew his sword, but as the guard got closer he recognised him.

"Roman Andrias!" Lando exclaimed. "It's good to see you, old friend!"

Roman shook Lando's hand, then admired the glass longsword in his hand. "I don't know where you've been, but I want to go there if that's the kind of souvenir you get! Where have you been anyway?"

"Don't ask…" Lando said. "How are my family?"

"They're very well, although they have been somewhat worried about you. Your sister has been staying with your parents since you disappeared"

"I'd better go and pay them a visit then. What time do you get off duty tonight?"

"Around 6 o'clock, all being well"

"Then be in the Oak at five minutes past!" Lando said, slapping Roman on the shoulder.

--------

Lando and Alaina walked hand-in-hand through Chorrol.

"I feel a bit unsafe here, Lando. All the guards seem to be staring at us" Alaina said quietly. She was right – Lando hadn't been given as many dirty looks from guards since he had walked through the Telvanni parts of Vvardenfell.

"Something's changed here" Lando said as they walked past the town trader. Lando noticed the sign, which read 'Andreas Verbucia – Proprietor'

"Make that two things that have changed" Lando said. "The atmosphere in this town and the owner of Northern Goods And Trade. Seed-Neeus must have sold the store"

The door to the small house gradually swung open. An elderly man answered it.

"Lando… Thank the Nine! I thought I might never see you again"

Lando stepped forwards and embraced the man. "It's good to see you, Father. May I introduce Alaina Winterstar?"

The man turned to Alaina. "Lucius Armitage. Very nice to meet you. Are you and my son an item, then?"

Alaina nodded.

"Well, come in!" Lucius said. "We were just about to eat. And it's a good thing you're back, Lando. I'm afraid you may soon have to decide where your loyalties lie"

Inside the Armitage household, five people sat around the dining table: Lucius, Lando, Alaina, Lando's mother, Tertia, and his sister, Maria.

"Did you notice anything strange about the people of Chorrol, Lando?" Lucius said, pouring each person a glass of wine. Lando shook his head. "You didn't notice that every single resident of Chorrol is of Imperial blood?"

Lando paused as he thought. "You're right… How strange…"

"Things have changed while you were gone, Lando" Lucius said. "Lando, do you know of a man called Audens Avidius?"

"Yes. He's a Captain in the Imperial City, is he not?"

"Not exactly. He's now known as Emperor Audens Avidius"

"We have a new Emperor at last? Surely this is good news!"

"I wouldn't go that far. The man is evil. He is driving a stake through this land"

"How do you mean?"

"Almost everyone not of Imperial blood has been ordered to either leave Cyrodiil or die. A few figures of authority were allowed to remain – mostly major figures in the Mages' Guild. Modryn Oreyn, second-in-command of the Fighters' Guild, and even Chancellor Ocato, were ordered to return to their homelands because they posed a threat to authority"

"You are not serious?"

"Sadly, I am. Cyrodiil used to be the finest land in Tamriel, now it is a hotbed of corruption and oppression. The guards now have the right to kill for almost any crime – and they treat not being Imperial as a crime"

"Is no-one doing anything about this?"

"There's talk of a revolt. Already Arch-Mage Hannibal Traven and Vilena Donton have spoken of revoking the Guilds' alliance to the Empire, and the folk of Skyrim have promised to aid the revolution. Now, Lando, I know that your heart belongs to the good of the Empire, but so do ours, and that is why if this revolt occurs we shall be joining it. What say you?"

"I hate making quick decisions like this" Lando said. "But I shall stand by my family to restore the good of the Empire"

"I knew you would, son"

The room fell silent, and Alaina took Lando to one side.

"I thought you said it would be safer here?" she snapped.

"Sorry about that" he replied. "The drinks are on me tonight. By the way, you may want to spend some time in the archery range behind the Fighters' Guild hall. I think your crossbow may suddenly become very useful"

--------

"Summerset Isle or High Rock?" Lando asked, lying in bed. Alaina looked at him inquisitively.

"I'm thinking about where else we can go"

"If only the old team were back together" Alaina sighed as she climbed into bed next to Lando. "I don't suppose we'll find a Dunmer Battlemage and an Argonian marksman round here now, will we?"

"Wait" Lando said, holding up a hand to motion Alaina to stop talking. "Do you hear that?"

Alaina listened. She could hear heavy rain outside, but there was something else. Voices in the distance.

"_No! I will not leave!" _It was the voice of a High Elf man.

"_These are our orders, Elf. Either leave this town now or die!" _The second voice sounded like it belonged to a guard.

"_Never! I have the right to live here! Who shall replace me as head of the Guild?"_

"_Contumeliorus Florius"_

"_The Imperial! I might have known!"_

Lando got up out of the bed and began putting on his Mithril mail-shirt.

"Where are you going?" Alaina asked.

"To investigate" Lando replied. "I'm a Captain in this town, remember?"

----------

Lando ran through Chorrol, the rain beating against his face, to the source of the voices. They were coming from a small house near the Grey Mare Inn. Three guards were stood around the door, and in the doorway, the High Elf was stood, brandishing a sword. Lando recognised him – it was Angalmo, former alchemist and now owner of the Chorrol Mages' Guild.

"What's going on here?" Lando shouted. The three guards turned around.

"Captain Armitage! You have returned!" one of the guards said. He let his sword fall to the ground.

"You return in dark times" the guard said. "We must carry out these orders, or face certain death"

"Who do these orders come from?" Lando asked.

"Straight from Emperor Avidius" the guard replied.

"He is intent on destroying our guild!" Angalmo spat. "The only reason Arch-Mage Traven himself is being allowed to live is because he is an Imperial!"

"You have your Captain back now" Lando said to the guards. "And this Captain will not simply stand and watch his hometown be torn apart at the seams. Return to your quarters at once, and do not threaten Angalmo again"

Suddenly Lando felt a tap on his shoulder. Clutching the handle of his sword in its sheath, he turned round. It was Roman Andrias.

"I thought I might find you here!" Roman said. "Bittneld Curse-Bringer has just been found dead outside the city gates!"

"Dead?" Lando said in shock. Bittneld Curse-Bringer was the Commander of the Guard in Chorrol – the only person in the town's guard who outranked him.

"Yes, we were on patrol and found him lying on the road with five arrows in his back. Lando, this means you are the Commander of the Guard now!"

"You're right…" Lando said. "And while I am Commander things shall not be as they are now. Roman, tell every guard in the town to be outside the Oak and Crosier at 9 o'clock tomorrow morning"

_Chorrol town centre, the next morning_

Alaina sat on the edge of the raised deck which the Oak and Crosier was built upon. She looked at Lando, standing at the top of the steps leading up to the door of the inn, ready to speak to the town guard. Lando had changed – when she had first met him, he was lost, confused and vulnerable. But now, standing back in his homeland in his glittering Mithril armour and glass sword, he was Captain Lando Armitage, warrior and leader. Whatever happened in the coming days, she felt safe with Lando.

Eventually, every guard in Chorrol arrived at the meeting point. Fighters' Guild members had been left to police the town and watch the gate while the briefing was in place.

"Soldiers of the Empire" Lando began. "Dark times are upon us. I returned to my homeland to find that Emperor Avidius was ruling the nation with an iron fist. Many have been driven out of their homes, and those who are left live blanketed in fear and oppression. And I will not stand for this!"

A few of the guards cheered in agreement.

"As long as I am in charge, any orders from the Emperor will come to me before anyone even thinks about carrying them out. And mark my words, for the most part these orders will be ignored"

"You're mad" a guard muttered.

"If wanting the glory of Cyrodiil restored makes me mad, then I suppose I am" Lando retorted. "You would rather live under the iron grip of Emperor Avidius?"

"At least with Emperor Avidius there is order. The Empire was verging on anarchy with Chancellor Ocato in charge!"

"And you would rather live under a dictatorship than have your freedom? Tell me, soldier, what dangers have there been to Cyrodiil since the Oblivion crisis? The only one I can think of is people being killed in cold blood and driven from their homes, and that did not happen with Ocato in charge!"

"You've lost your mind, Armitage" the guard spat. "You think you can take on Avidius?"

Lando nodded.

"You're a fool, Armitage"

"Guards, listen to me. As long as I'm in charge of the guard in Chorrol, we shall not associate ourselves with what has become of the Empire. We shall become independent"

"This is nonsense!" the rebellious guard shouted. "I am returning to the Imperial City. Yes, you heard me right, I'm deserting you! And don't think Emperor Avidius won't be hearing of this!"

Lando paused.

"Everyone who wishes to stand up against the oppression, stay with me. Everyone who supports Emperor Avidius, leave this city now. You are relieved from duty"

Several guards walked towards the town gate. Lando noticed in their ranks several soldiers who had never trusted his command, or whom he had had disputes with in the past. Those that remained did so because they were loyal to Lando.

"If you don't mind me saying" one of the remaining guards said. "This is a terrible risk, Sire. I am worried about the threat of invasion from the Imperial Legion"

"Yes, there is a threat of invasion. But you must believe that we can defend this city"

"But we are too few in number, Captain!" Roman shouted from in the crowd.

"Maybe, but you forget we have the Guilds of the town, and any commonfolk who can brandish a weapon. We must also call for aid from Hammerfell and Skyrim"

Whilst Lando was talking, Count Laythe Wavrick had joined the crowd. When Lando finished, he spoke up.

"Forgive my lateness, Captain, I had to sign the official document that states you are now Commander of the Chorrol Guard"

"I've said enough, Count. You must have something you wish to say"

The Count nodded and stepped up next to Lando.

"We have pressing times ahead of us. But Chorrol will prevail and help to restore the good of the Empire. I believe that achieving independence here in Chorrol is the first of many steps. We must build towards an invasion of the Imperial City to overthrow Emperor Avidius. It honours me to know that I will now have the full support of my town throughout whatever may lie ahead"

Lando sat down. A strange pain had suddenly come over him, causing him to become short of breath. Alaina looked at him.

"Are you alright?" she asked him. As she spoke the pain began to subside. Lando nodded.

"I'm fine"


	2. For Chorrol

**Chapter 2 – For Chorrol**

"Morning, Jirolin" Lando said to a man walking past.

"Good day, Captain!" Jirolin replied. "The guards said you had returned. I must say it's a pleasant surprise"

"It sounds like you needed some good news"

Jirolin sat down next to Lando on the bench near the Great Oak.

"I'll be honest, Lando, life for us Imperials hasn't changed that much. Yes, I have lost friends for the simple fact that they aren't Imperial, but life still goes on. I still buy my bread from the same shop every morning, I still work in the same smithy… It's still Chorrol"

Lando looked around. Above him, the Great Oak rustled in the light breeze, casting a great shadow across the square. Guards sat idly talking to one another. A man walked out of Northern Goods And Trade carrying a shirt and a loaf of bread. Angalmo walked amongst flowerbeds around the city, stooping down to pick flowers with useful alchemical properties, whilst Alaina watched intently. Jirolin was right - Chorrol was just as Lando had remembered it.

"Jirolin, I'm sure you've heard about the city guard's independece from the Legion"

"Yes, I'm not entirely sure what to make of it. If we're lucky, the Emperor will not take any action at risk of causing further damage to the Empire. What can he do? Destroy the whole town?"

"From what I've heard of the man I wouldn't put it past him"

"Still, at least we have our Captain back now"

"You know, Jirolin, I came back to Cyrodiil hoping to return to a normal life with the woman I love" Lando said, nodding at Alaina. "And now this has happened. Maybe it is my destiny to be the one to lead against evil…"

Jirolin stood up. "I must be getting back to work, Lando. It's good to see you again"

"Likewise" Lando replied. "I'm sure I'll see you soon in the pub"

Lando rubbed his eyes and yawned. He had not slept well last night – he had had a lot on his mind.

Shortly after Jirolin had left, Alaina walked over and sat down next to Lando. He turned to her and kissed her cheek.

"You OK?" she asked him.

"Not too bad, you?"

"I'm alright. Anglamo's teaching me about all the alchemical benefits of the ingredients you can find in Cyrodiil. I think I'm getting the hang of it"

Alaina smiled and handed Lando her pestle – it was filled with a pale liquid. Lando raised the pestle to his lips and drank. As soon as he swallowed a mouthful of the liquid, he suddenly began to feel invigorated and energised, as if energy was literally flowing through his veins.

"Impressive" Lando said, handing the pestle back to Alaina. "Anyway, I must go and visit the healer in the chapel. I keep getting these strange pains in my chest"

"I'll come with you" Alaina said. "Angalmo's taken a lunch break but I'm not really that hungry"

------

Lando walked through the grand arched door into the Chapel of Stendarr, Alaina following him. An elderly Dunmer in a grey robe approached him.

"Gureryne, it's good to see you here!" Lando said, shaking the Dunmer's hand. "The Empire let you stay in Chorrol, then?"

"They considered me too important to remove me, my son" Gureryne replied. "And how are you, Lando? I trust all is well?"

"Not exactly" Lando replied. "I've been getting these pains in my chest the last few days. Perhaps the will of Stendarr can help me"

"I'm sure the God of Mercy can find mercy for a man such as yourself, my son" Gureryne said, placing his hands on Lando's chest. Gureryne's hands glowed briefly with a pale green light, until he took them away.

"I hope this helps you" he said. "Don't hesitate to come and see me again if the pain persists"

"Thank you, Gureryne" Lando said, reaching into his pocket and producing a handful of gold. "A donation to Stendarr for your troubles"

Suddenly, an otherworldly voice cut through the air. _"Lando…"_

Lando looked at the other two people in the room. Had they heard it too? By the looks on their faces, they had.

"_I come with important information. Emperor Avidius has ordered an attack on Chorrol. Seventy Imperial soldiers have left the Imperial City. They will be here by nightfall. You must lead the city guard to victory against this evil force. Go. You have Stendarr's blessing"_

"Seventy men?" Lando scoffed. "Give us something more challenging next time, Avidius!"

Gureryne and Alaina looked in amazement at Lando, at the man whom Stendarr had personally presented himself to. Lando looked different – he looked energised, heroic, and a man who could bring victory to Chorrol.

_7 o'clock that evening, Chorrol city gates_

The Chorrol guard stood spread around the city walls, some standing on the battlements, some inside the gates, and the most heavily armed and armoured soldiers outside the gates, preparing to repel the initial attack. Between them and the gates stood a small group of archers. To the east, a dim orange glow could be seen on the horizon, coming from the torches of the Imperial army.

"Soldiers of Chorrol, the revolution has started!" Lando shouted from the battlements. "Tonight, there is a chance Chorrol will fall, but we will not let that happen! Tomorrow, a great change will have happened! Emperor Avidius will realise that he cannot go on leading as he is, that the people of Cyrodiil will rise up against him! Swordsmen, macemen, axemen, strike hard! Marksmen, aim true! Tonight, Chorrol shall be victorious!"

The guards cheered as Lando made for the stairs that led back down to the gate. He was a commander who led from the front lines. His loyal comrade, Roman Andrias, followed him.

"What are the numbers, Lando?" Roman asked as they walked.

"Seventy of them against thirty-odd of us, and we have the advantage of fortification, plus I am not yet sure the Legion know we are expecting them"

"An easy fight, then?"

"Absolutely"

Lando ran out of the city gate and it slammed shut behind him. He took his shield off his back – the Escutcheon of Chorrol, a sacred shield given to him by Count Wavrick.

He made his way through the company of archers to where the swordsmen were waiting.

"Good evening, Captain" one of the guards said. "What is our plan?"

"Use your shields to protect yourselves from arrows" Lando said. "As soon as they get close, we engage. If it gets too much we pull back through the city gates, and let the men inside the city handle them"

Lando watched tensely as the glow of the Imperial torches got closer. Eventually he could see human figures on the road. He turned to the archers behind him.

"Open fire!" he whispered loudly. At once, the archers all raised their bows and unleashed a volley of arrows. Instantly the Legion were thrown into disarray as arrows rained down on them out of nowhere. Several of their number were hit and killed.

"Battlements, fire!" Lando shouted. The archers stationed on the battlements fired off another volley of arrows as those on the ground reloaded. The Legion broke into a run, shouting as they charged towards Chorrol.

Suddenly one of Lando's own company was hit in the chest by an arrow. Luckily the soldier was wearing heavy steel armour and the arrow did no damage.

"Shields!" Lando shouted to his company. The swordsmen all raised their shields above their heads to protect themselves from a volley of arrows fired by the Legion. At once the archers behind him returned fire. Lando assessed the ground around him. Very few arrows had actually been fired at them. He realised the invasion force was made up mostly of melee troops.

"Keep firing! Hold them back!"

Out of the corner of his eye, Lando saw one of his men fall to the ground. He looked at the fallen guard – an arrow was protruding from the side of his head. He felt another arrow fly past his head, missing him by inches.

"We're being flanked!" he shouted.

"There! In the trees! Foresters!" one of the other guards said. Lando looked into the grove of trees to the south. He could see figures carrying bows moving around in the trees.

"Come on! Let's go!" Lando ordered. He began to run into the grove of trees, the rest of his men following him. One of the guards smashed a glass bottle into a tree, spilling a brightly glowing liquid all over the ground. The glow lit up the grove of trees as bright as day. No longer having the range advantage, and no longer concealed, the Foresters were no match for Lando's soldiers.

"We'll use the same tactic against them!" Lando whispered loudly. "I'll go on point. Roman, watch the rear!"

The twelve Chorrol soldiers began to move through the trees, ducked down and moving quickly towards the Legion army. Then something unexpected happened – the Legion broke into a charge. They were bearing down quickly on the town walls, maybe a hundred metres away now.

"Change of plan!" Lando ordered. "We have to get back into the city gates!"

The Chorrol soldiers turned round and ran towards the gates. Lando constantly watched behind him, looking at the advancing army. Lando's team were moving too slowly, slowed down by the trees and thick undergrowth.

"We're not going to make it!" Roman shouted.

"Then we shall fight!" Lando replied. "Attack!"

Lando led his men on a charge out of the trees, onto the road and straight into the side of the advancing Legion army. The Chorrol soldiers attacked with enormous force, swinging their swords, maces and axes hard, causing huge damage to the Imperial army.

Lando and Roman stood back-to-back in the middle of the Legion army, who were now in complete disarray, being attacked by Lando's soldiers and the constant swarm of arrows being fired by the Chorrol archers. Both were highly adept swordsmen, skilfully blocking attacks with their swords and shields then moving in for the kill.

"Just like old times, Lando!" Roman shouted over the chaos.

"They're retreating!" Lando yelled. He had seen a large number of the Imperial soldiers running back down the road to the east, towards the Imperial City. "Disengage!"

"What?" Roman yelled. "Let's finish the scumbags off!"

"No! We worship the God of Mercy, remember? Disengage!"

Lando and Roman ran back into the cover of the trees, blocking off swordstrokes from a few plucky Imperial soldiers. Lando saw the rest of his men following him, and the archers ceased fire. Lando watched the retreating army.

"That's around thirty soldiers who know that Chorrol is not to be trifled with," Lando said. "Excellent work, soldiers. It's good to be commanding you again"

"As I said, just like old times!" Roman said.

"Soldiers, return to your quarters, clean yourselves up and be in the Oak and Crosier in one hour! I will put 500 coins behind the bar, and the women will be falling at your feet! Let this be known as the night that we showed Emperor Avidius where he stands!"

The soldiers all cheered and began talking noisily to one another as they walked back towards Chorrol.

_East of Dawnstar, Skyrim_

The ghostly figure approached the shrine to Azura, with the Nord explorer it had met in Dawnstar following close behind.

"It's dusk, excellent" the ghost said in a distant, disembodied voice. "Bjorn, present Azura with our gift"

The Nord reached into a pocket on his tunic and produced a handful of glow dust, its ethereal glow illuminating the shrine. He approached the statue of Azura and sprinkled the glow dust on the statue.

Another ghostly voice suddenly filled the air.

"Summoned by the ghost of a Dunmer? This is certainly something I have never seen before!"

The ghost stood in front of the statue. "Great Azura, Cyrodiil is in great danger. Emperor Avidius is ruling as a dictator. Thousands of non-Imperial citizens have been driven out of their homes or killed. I believe the Nords to be the most powerful citizens of Tamriel, and I ask no more than that you use your powers to persuade the Nords to help Cyrodiil, any way you can. Please. My friends are in danger"

"I sense you are a good man, whoever you are" Azura replied. "I sense you died fighting for the good of Morrowind, and you have saved many lives. Your request shall be answered"

"Many thanks, Azura" the ghost replied. "You have my blessing"

_The Armitage household, Chorrol, the next morning_

There was a knock on Lando's door. Lando drowsily sat up.

"Who's there?"

"It's me, son" Lucius replied. "Count Wavrick is here to see you"

Lando cursed to himself and shakily got out of bed. Between the end of the battle the previous evening and a very early hour in the morning, he had been in the inn making sure he got a fair share of the 500 gold he had placed behind the bar. Lando looked at Alaina and saw she had woken up too, and was looking equally worse for wear. He gently kissed her on the lips.

"I'll be back soon, darling"

Lando pulled on some trousers and a shirt, quickly washed his face in the basin then walked downstairs. In the dining area of the house, Tertia, Maria and Count Wavrick were sitting at the dining table eating a breakfast of bacon sandwiches and sweetcakes.

"I must say, Captain, your mother produces an excellent breakfast!" Count Wavrick said. "Can I speak to you outside, please?"

Lando nodded and followed the Count outside.

"I received distressing news this morning" the Count said. "The revolution has truly begun. All major cities have declared their independence from Emperor Avidius's rule. However, the Empire are fighting back. We lost Bravil last night"

"We lost Bravil?" Lando said in amazement. "How?"

"A similar attack to the one we experienced last night. However, Bravil's fortifications are poor compared to ours, and their city guard were too few. The city was invaded and its citizens made to swear allegiance to Emperor Avidius by moving to the Imperial City or die. Most chose death.

And there is more. The Kvatch guard are fortunate enough to have a spy in Avidius's council, who discovered that the Empire plan to invade Bruma. We cannot risk losing another city. Their city guard is weak and they have called for aid"

"Then Chorrol will answer their call. Though you must understand we cannot spare many men"

"Absolutely not, Captain. I propose we send five experienced guards, and a few Fighters' Guild members and war wizards from the Mages' Guild"

As the Count spoke, Lando had a brainwave.

"What about the Blades? Has someone been to Cloud Ruler Temple?"

"You're right. The Blades will surely fight for the honour of the Empire of old. I shall send a runner there immediately"


	3. The Flood

**Chapter 3 – The Flood**

That evening, a group of seven people left Chorrol, heading northeast along the mountain pass to Bruma. The numbers were not as great as Lando had hoped, but their experience would certainly help Bruma. As well as himself, the group was made from Alaina, the guards Roman Andrias, Marus Teritria and Endrich Amundus, and Viranus Donton and Ralus Odiil of the Fighters' Guild.

"We must ride fast without rest" Lando said as the group mounted up on horses. "It is imperative we reach Bruma before dawn. Roman, you're on point. Ralus, share a horse with Endrich and watch our backs. You've got a bow, use it if we get anything following us"

Everybody showed that they had understood Lando's orders and Roman began to ride swiftly towards the mountain pass that led to Bruma. Lando followed him, Alaina behind him, followed by Viranus, Marus and lastly Endrich and Ralus.

The road was tough and arduous, weaving in and out of the mountains. Grand Ayleid ruins scattered the roadside, and deer, wolves and other wildlife wandered through the trees.

At around 5 o'clock in the morning, Bruma at last came into view. The view of Bruma from the south was nothing short of stunning – the majestic stone walls surrounding the city, against the dramatic backdrop of the Jerall mountains. Behind Bruma, the majestic fortress of Cloud Ruler Temple was just about visible in the dawn light, whilst Dive Rock loomed high above the city to the east. In the clear morning, looking south it was possible to see the Imperial City, Cheydinhall and all the way down the Nibenay valley to the ruins of Bravil.

"Let's hope Bruma fares somewhat better than that" Endrich remarked.

As they approached Bruma, an elderly-looking man in a dark brown robe approached them from the guardhouse near the gate.

"You bear uniforms of the Chorrol guard" he said. "It's good to see you. I see Count Wavrick received our message"

Lando dismounted his horse and shook hands with the man. "Lando Armitage, Captain of the Chorrol guard"

"Jauffre, Grandmaster of the Blades" the man replied. "Your runner arrived yesterday evening. We are glad to lend our aid to fight for Bruma. We have helped save the city once, we shall do it again"

Jauffre was of course referring to the Battle of Bruma – a time when guards from every city in Cyrodiil had allied to defend Bruma against many Daedra whilst the Champion of Cyrodiil made a daring quest into Oblivion to recover a rare Daedric artifact.

"One day, Jauffre, the cities of Cyrodiil will be allied against a new foe, one almost as evil as the Daedra" Lando said.

"Bruma shall join forces with Chorrol… assuming we are still standing by the end of the day, of course"

"They're attacking in snow, up a hill, against some of the finest soldiers in Cyrodiil. Bruma is already safe" Roman remarked.

"Well, let's hope so. We have scouts watching the City for any signs of movement"

---------

Later that afternoon, Lando had joined the watch around the city walls. Most scouts were watching the road to the south, but there was a small chance the Legion could attempt an attack from Chorrol, to the west. Lando, however, had been positioned facing north, which he felt was extremely pointless considering the only road to the north went straight past Cloud Ruler Temple.

A member of the Blades, a young Redguard, approached Lando.

"I'm your relief, Captain Armitage. Go and take a break" he said.

"I'm sure I recognise you…" Lando said, looking at the Redguard.

"You're not mistaken" he replied. "The name's Baurus, we were both fighting in the Imperial City when Mehrunes Dagon attacked"

"That's right, I remember"

"You probably don't realise but I saved your life. There was a Dremora archer taking aim at you. I slayed him before he could release his arrow"

"Well, if you see any archers taking aim at me tonight, can you do the same?"

Baurus laughed. "I'll try my best, Captain. I just checked, you're not back on watch for another two hours"

"Baurus, I don't suppose you've seen an extremely beautiful Imperial woman with brown hair carrying a bow and arrow and wearing leather armour, have you?"

"As a matter of fact, I have, she's by the south gate with Viranus… Captain?"

Movement to the north had caught Lando's attention. A lone horseman was riding towards the city, and was around 300 yards away, riding down the hill from Cloud Ruler Temple. Baurus trained his eyesight on the horseman.

"He's Nordic, a missionary by the looks of his clothing"

"I used to have a friend with eyesight like yours" Lando said. "Open the gate but keep an eye on him"

-------------

Jauffre cautiously approached the Nord, who sensed Jauffre's concern and removed his robe, revealing a tattered shirt and trousers underneath. He was unarmed.

"I merely come with word from Skyrim" the Nord said to Jauffre. "Azura came before our leaders telling them that Bruma was in need of aid, and that we should help them. Our leaders accepted. We cannot spare you any soldiers but our Greybeards are doing what they can to swing the balance in your favour. Just in case anything, you know, out of the ordinary happens, you know what's going on"

---------------

Lando found Alaina, on watch with Viranus Donton by the south gate. He approached her and placed his arm around her.

"Are you alright?"

"Fine. What was that all about?"

"We've got the Nord Greybeards on our side. I don't know who they are…"

"It's the Nordic term for a wizard" Viranus said. "They're normally quite old, and when have you ever met a Nord without a beard?"

"Never" Lando said. "And that includes the women!"

Viranus and Alaina burst out laughing.

"Watch what you say, Captain! They're on our side now!" Viranus said.

Lando took Alaina away to one side. Viranus tried to make it look like he wasn't listening in, but they both knew he was.

"Stay with me in the battle" Lando said to Alaina. "We seem to be quite effective when we fight together"

Alaina grinned at Lando. "What you actually mean is that I constantly save your hide when you take on more than you can handle!"

"What about when you first found me? Who killed those bandits?" Lando retorted.

"I suppose" Alaina said. "Either way, we watch each other's backs, right?"

"Right" Lando said, placing his arms around Alaina and holding her close to his body. Alaina leaned forwards and gently kissed Lando on the lips.

"It's cold today, even for Bruma" Lando said. "I wonder why?"

------------

Two hours later, Lando was preparing to go back on watch, and was walking towards the north gate, when the bell in the chapel tower suddenly began ringing, loudly and rapidly. It was an alarm. Lando spun round and began running back towards the south gate, where Jauffre intercepted him.

"We've just sighted the Legion! Two hundred strong, half an hour away if that!"

"Two hundred?" Lando said in shock. "We haven't a chance!"

"But we will fight anyway. I am prepared to make sure Bruma's downfall is worthy of the history books!"

"And my men will help you" Lando said. "We need to get all our ranged soldiers up on the battlements, and damage them as much as we can before they reach the city walls"

"Yes. And we cannot send any soldiers out of the gates to fight as you did in Chorrol. The risk is too great"

Jauffre ran off to the north to assemble all the archers he could, whilst Lando returned to the south gate.

"Two hundred men in half an hour!" Lando shouted as soon as he was within earshot of the guards assembled by the gate. "All marksmen to the south battlements now!"

There was commotion as people began to make their way to the battlements and ready their bows. But there was another sound underneath it – a distant, rumbling sound.

"What in the Nine is that?" Viranus said. "It's getting louder!"

"It's coming from the North!" Lando said. "Ralus, come with me! We'll go and investigate!"

Lando and Ralus, the Fighters' Guild man, began to run along the battlements to the north. As they did, the roaring got unbearably loud until there was an almighty crash as something slammed into the north wall with tremendous force…

…and an enormous surge of water reared up over the North wall!

"What in Oblivion is going on!" Ralus said. He turned and began to run as fast as he could towards the south gate. A wave of water gushed over the north wall and began flowing down the three tiers of the city. The north gate began to creak and groan under the strain.

"Everybody get up on the battlements!" Lando yelled. "Open the south gate!"

"Open the gate?" Viranus shouted back at him. "The Legion are about to attack? Have you lost your mind?"

"Just do it, you fool!" Lando bellowed back. Viranus and another guard swung open the large wood and metal doors, then ran for their lives up onto the battlements.

What happened next was nothing short of incredible. The north gate gave way and was blasted from its hinges as a raging torrent of water careered through the archway into the city. The flood raged through Bruma, cascading down the terraced northern half of the city in spectacular waterfalls, all being funnelled out of the south gate. Here, the torrent met the water that had flowed around either side of Bruma and gathered into an enormous foaming wall of water, which roared down the mountain. Straight into the advancing Legion army.

Apart from the roar of the water, there was no sound. Everyone watched the event unfold in stunned amazement until Roman broke the silence.

"I'd say that's another victory…"

_Midnight, Bruma town centre_

"Damage to the town was minimal and we can have the gates repaired long before Avidius can launch another attack" Jauffre said. "Thank you very much for your help, soldiers of Chorrol"

"It's not as if we did much" Marus said as he mounted his horse.

"Maybe not, but it was good to have allies in any case. You're sure your men will not remain for the night, Captain Armitage?"

"No, we must get back to Chorrol" Lando said. "Count Wavrick fears another attack may be imminent. I think he's wrong, but we've been ordered to return as soon as we can"

"What do you think happened?" Alaina asked Lando as the group rode out of Bruma. "Where could that much water have come from?"

"Who knows" Lando replied. "There could have been a landslide into a lake up in the Jerall mountains. It can cause enormous floods like that. It's been known to happen before"

------------

As the group rode along the road back to Chorrol, it began to snow. This was a common occurrence in the northern parts of Cyrodiil, but as they headed further south-west the snowstorm did not cease. The blanket of snow quickly became thicker, and soon the horses were finding it too difficult to move through the snow.

"We must stop and find shelter!" Lando shouted over the noise of the howling wind.

"I saw a cave entrance just up the hill to the north!" Ralus called. "We should make for there!"

The group dismounted their horses and began to lead them up the hillside to the cave entrance. Lando reached it first. He tried the worn wooden door that was covering its entrance, but the rusted hinge had long since seized up. He threw his weight against the door, ripping it off its hinges.

"We're in" Lando said to the group. "Roman, Marus, Ralus, help me secure the cave. The rest of you, get a fire started and see what supplies we have"

Marus and Ralus drew their bows whilst Roman unsheathed his sword.

"Wait!" Alaina called to them before they walked into the cave. She handed Lando a silver amulet glowing with an ethereal light.

"I helped Angalmo make it when we were in Chorrol, and he let me keep it. It will shine like the sun when anyone wears it"

Lando thanked Alaina and placed the amulet around his neck. Immediately a bright light flooded through the cave entrance, strangely not seeming to emit from anywhere in particular. With this, Lando ran into the cave, followed by Roman, Marus and Ralus.

They emerged in a small cavern, with shallow rockpools scattered along its floor, and cairn bolete mushrooms sprouting near the water.

"Mushrooms for breakfast, then" Marus remarked.

In the light given off by Lando's amulet, a small opening leading to another part of the cavern was visible.

"We should investigate" Marus said. "I'll go on point"

Marus ran into the opening, Roman following, and Ralus and Lando bringing up the rear. Suddenly a bloodcurdling roar of pain came from the opening.

"Marus has been hit!" Roman shouted. "We've got archers!"

"Get him back here!" Lando ordered. "Ralus, engage them!"

"I've got a Night-Eye potion!" Ralus said as Roman began dragging Marus back into the cavern. Marus had been hit in the chest, and the arrow had pierced his leather armour.

Ralus drank half of the Night-Eye potion and gave the rest to Lando. Lando took Alaina's amulet off, plunging the cavern back into darkness, save from the dawn light flooding through the small entrance to the cavern. Roman dragged Marus into the light.

"Alaina! Get down here now!" Lando shouted. He took Marus's bow and a few arrows and followed Ralus through the small tunnel.

The cavern they came out in was enormous, vaulting up to a height of a few hundred feet, and was covered in ornate rock formations. Most striking, however, was that there was a fortress built into the western wall of the cavern. And on the battlements, two zombies stood with bows. Now Lando's light had been extinguished, they could no longer see Lando and Ralus. But Ralus could see them, thanks to his potion, and skilfully bought one of them down with an arrow. Before the other zombie had time to realise what was going on, Ralus hit it with another arrow.

"It's clear" Ralus said.

"There could be hundreds more in there" Lando said. "This is the kind of place where Necromancers gather. It isn't safe"

"We are fighters, Lando! Surely we can make it safe?"

"We are too few in number. No-one knows how large that fort could be inside. We must continue, either until we find shelter or until we reach Chorrol"


	4. Sanctuary

**Chapter 4 – Sanctuary**

"It's unusual to get snow this far south," Endrich said. "If we keep following the road we should get out of the snow"

"I still think it's too great a risk" Viranus said. "We have wounded, we are running low on supplies…"

"Which is all the more reason to get back to Chorrol as soon as possible!"

"We will let Lando decide" Alaina interrupted. "After all, is he not our commander?"

Everybody turned to look at Lando.

"We will continue to Chorrol, or until we find better shelter" Lando said. "Alaina, gather some of these mushrooms. We will need them for food. The rest of you, help me build a stretcher from the door for Marus. Unfortunately we must abandon our horses – they will hinder us too much in the snow"

Lando walked out of the cave. The snow was still falling heavily, and was now more than a foot deep on the ground. He found the door that had been mounted across the cave entrance sticking out of the snow, and pulled it out. It was still more or less in one piece. With Roman helping him, he dragged it back into the cavern.

Ralus had produced a large coil of rope from his bag. "You never know when you're going to need a good bit of rope" he explained. "I always carry it"

Half an hour later, Lando, Roman, Ralus, Endrich and Vilanus had successfully fashioned a stretcher-cum-sledge from the door and Ralus' rope, and had laid Marus on top of it, along with a large sack containing their food supplies, some pieces of kindling and flint to light a fire with.

Alaina had been outside and returned with a handful of steel-blue entaloma mushrooms. She then began filling a bottle up with water from one of the small rockpools.

"What are you doing, Alaina?" Lando asked.

"These mushrooms are known to produce a burning sensation" she replied. "I think I can use a small amount of them to make a drink that will warm us up if we get too cold"

"We don't have time, I'm afraid. We must move before the snow gets too heavy"

"Very well" Alaina muttered, packing her equipment away.

The group left the shelter of the cave and began carving a route through the snow that was a vague approximation of the road. They found that the snow nearest the ground had compacted and was completely solid, so they could walk on top of the snow with relative ease. They still found it hard-going – they were walking into the wind and the cold and snow were assaulting their faces. Progress along the road was slow. Lando led the group, with Roman and Endrich behind him pulling Marus' sled, with Viranus bringing up the rear, and Ralus and Alaina with their bows walking along the edges of the group watching for any threats.

When they had been travelling for around an hour, Lando stopped the group.

"Is everyone alright?" he shouted over the noise of the wind.

"We're losing Marus!" Endrich called back. "He cannot take the cold!"

Lando forced his way through the snow to the sledge and looked at Marus. In the cave he had been on the way to recovery – the arrow had been removed from his chest and Alaina and Viranus had treated the wounds. However, his body's natural defences weakened, doubled with the fact that he was not generating any heat by moving, meant he was suffering particularly badly from the cold.

"I have to make that potion!" Alaina said. "It will help him!"

_What he needs is a stiff glass of brandy in the Oak and Crosier as soon as possible, _Lando thought to himself. Alaina busied herself with her alchemical equipment, carefully removing the gills of the mushrooms and grinding them into a pulp, then mixing the pulp into the water until a pale liquid was produced. She added some of the restoration potion she had made in Chorrol to the mixture and then poured a small amount into Marus' mouth. The effect was visible immediately – Marus' eyes opened wider and colour began to return to his skin.

"We need to keep him warm" Alaina said. She opened the bag of provisions and took her robe out – she had changed out of it and was still wearing her fur armour from the battle of Bruma – and lay it over Marus. Made from the finest cotton, it was guaranteed to keep him warm.

Lando watched Alaina. He really admired her – she was an intelligent woman, a skilled alchemist and always willing to help, regardless of the risks. And in her timber-wolf fur armour, she was probably the warmest of everyone in the group.

"We must continue" Roman said. "The snow shows no sign of stopping"

"We have come a long way south from Bruma!" Endrich said. "Why is there still so much snow?"

Lando sat down on a rock protruding above the snowline. The pain had returned to his chest. It felt like a burning sensation, which should have been an advantage in the snowy conditions but was in fact very uncomfortable.

"Let us continue" he said, standing up. He told no-one of the pain.

--------------

As the group continued towards Chorrol, Lando's ailment continued. Eventually he could not go on.

"We must stop!" he shouted weakly. "I have an unusual pain in my chest which has been getting worse since we last stopped. I cannot go on!"

Alaina ran over to him, undoing her small bag of potions. She produced two bottles. "Drink these," she said. "See if either of them do anything"

As Lando raised the first bottle to his mouth, he saw Viranus and Ralus saying something to Roman then beginning to climb the hillside.

Lando drank the contents of both bottles and waited for around 30 seconds.

"Nothing" he said, sitting down.

"Maybe you just need to rest for a while" Alaina said, sitting down next to him and placing an arm around him. "I can't imagine you are very warm in nothing but that Mithril"

"I felt the same pain the other day in Chorrol" Lando said. "That's why I had to go and see Gureryne, remember? He thought he had healed me, but it would appear not"

Lando was beginning to slur his words and his vision was becoming blurred.

"Alaina… help…" he said weakly, before slumping forwards, face-down in the snow.

"Lando!" Alaina cried. Immediately, Roman and Endrich ran over and rolled him over onto his back. Endrich placed an ear against Lando's chest.

"He's still breathing" he said. "We must find shelter!"

"Viranus and Ralus saw an abandoned mine entrance just off the road" Roman said. "They've gone to investigate"

----------

"Who goes there?" a voice called out of the darkness.

"We are soldiers of Chorrol seeking shelter" Viranus said. "Who are you?"

"Who we are does not matter" the voice replied. "Does this mean you are soldiers of the Empire?"

"Absolutely not!" Viranus said. "We are members of the revolt against Emperor Avidius"

"Then you are our friends"

A torch was lit in the cavern, and it was bathed with light. An assortment of people sat in the cavern – three Dunmer, an Argonian, an Orc, a Nord and a Khajiit. The Orc stepped forward and extended his hand to Viranus.

"I did not recognise you at first, Viranus Donton. I am Burz gro-Kash, formerly of the Cheydinhal Fighters' Guild. We are all now technically outlaws, as we did not wish to leave Cyrodiil. Most of us are Imperial guild members"

He pointed to the Argonian. "This is Ah-Malz, another Fighters' Guild member"

Burz then introduced the Khajiit as J'Skar, the Nord as Keld of the Isles, and the Dunmer as Dervera Romalen, Llevana Nedaren and Boderi Farano.

Meanwhile, Ralus ran back down the hillside to the rest of the group.

"We have found allies who can offer us shelter!" he called when he was a short distance from the group. "They are non-Imperial citizens hiding to avoid exile!"

Marus and Lando were carefully carried up the hillside with help from Burz and Ah-Malz into the safety of the cavern. J'Skar, an alchemist and healer, set about taking care of them immediately.

"This snow has had us trapped in this cavern" Llevana said. "We were preparing to move to an Ayleid ruin a short distance up the road before we were snowed in. Why is there so much snow?"

"I think greater forces are at work" Ralus said nervously. "We may have upset the Nine by revolting against the Empire, and this is them wreaking their revenge"

"You are too superstitious" Viranus said. "If Stendarr is with us, why would the rest of the Nine go against us?"

"It's magic" Alaina said suddenly. "Who here is from the Guild of Mages?"

J'Skar and Boderi Farano both raised their hands.

"I'm sure you are familiar with the enormous strides being made in the field of Alteration" Alaina continued. "I have seen first-hand the power of the discipline"

"You believe a mage is responsible for this?" Endrich asked.

"It is possible, but who would do such a thing?" Alaina replied.

"Perhaps they were responsible for the Bruma flood as well!" Ralus exclaimed. "Could this be intervention by the Nine? Don't forget that the flood helped us win the battle!"

"But if it is intervention by the Nine, why are they doing this to us? How is this snow aiding us?"

-----------

Lando opened his eyes and sat up shakily. The first thing he saw was J'Skar.

"Who… Where am I?" he said drowsily.

"You're in a cave northeast of Chorrol" J'Skar replied. "Your friends bought you here when you passed out. Do not worry, we are all your friends here"

"What happened to me?"

"I am not sure, your friends say you spoke of a pain in your chest and then passed out. But as far as I can find out, there's nothing wrong with you. I believe the best you and your friends can do is get a good night's rest and enjoy our hospitality"

----------

The next morning, Lando decided that it was time to move on from the exiles' cavern. Whilst packing their equipment up, everyone else stood talking busily with the exiles, but Lando stood on his own in a corner of the cavern, putting his Mithril armour on. J'Skar walked over to him.

"Something troubles you, Lando" he said. "What is it?"

"I think I may have made a grave error, being so hasty to start a revolt against the Emperor. I feel like I've placed the whole Empire in danger. Chorrol and Bruma have been saved, but I can't help feeling responsible for what happened to Bravil"

"Few men would do something as brave as you have done" J'Skar replied. "Already your name is known around the Empire. Everyone believes you can overthrow Avidius"

"But can I?" Lando snapped. "How can we overthrow him without a full-on assault on the Imperial City?"

"Maybe that is what must be done, then" J'Skar said. "But in the meantime, I have something that will aid your journey"

Lando noticed that J'Skar had pulled what appeared to be an ale cask over with him – a barrel with a tap built into one side, near the bottom of the barrel.

"This is a potion called the Philter of Frostward. It's one of my specialities. This is one of two barrels remaining that I have, so use it wisely. It will ward off whatever cold the storm will throw at you"

"Thank you, J'Skar" Lando said warmly. "I will not forget the help you and your friends have given us"

The cask of Philter of Frostward was mounted onto the sledge, taking up some of the space Marus had previously occupied. Thanks to J'Skar's healing skills, Marus was now fit to walk again, as was Lando. The group said their farewells to the exiles in high spirits – they were nearly at Chorrol, all the members of their group were fit to travel once more and they had J'Skar's potion, as well as timber-wolf fur parkas given to them by Keld of the Isles, to keep themselves warm. The group all filled wooden cups with J'Skar's potion and drank their contents. Immediately they felt warmer, as though warm water was literally flowing through their veins.

The journey was much easier than it had previously been. Although snow was still falling, it wasn't as heavy as it had been the previous night, and now it was daytime they had a much better view of where they were going – the valley between the Colovian Highlands and the Jerall Mountains, where Chorrol was situated, was clearly visible, with the outline of Chorrol just about visible.

"Snow has fallen in Chorrol" Endrich said, looking ahead. "This is truly a first!"


	5. A Dark Night

**Chapter 5 – A Dark Night**

When the group returned to Chorrol there was still thick snow covering the ground, almost 2 feet deep in some places. Few guards were on patrol outside the city, and those who were were sitting in the guardhouse rather than standing outside the gate.

Inside the city gates, most of the snow had either been cleared or melted by alchemical means. Ice covered the cobblestones, making them slippery underfoot. When the group reached the Great Oak, Lando stopped them.

"Thank you for your help, everyone" he said. "You may return to your homes, once again victorious"

Lando began to walk towards the castle. Alaina followed him.

"Go and get some rest, Alaina" Lando said to her. "I'm just going to tell the Count that we have arrived back safely"

"I'll go and put the kettle on, then" Alaina said as she turned round and began walking in the direction of the Armitage household.

----------

"An amazing story" Count Wavrick said. "But we have numerous matters to discuss. The first is, of course, where all this snow is coming from"

"I've been thinking about that" Lando said. "You'll recall that I told you about the Nord missionary, who told us that the Greybeards would help us in battle?"

"You believe it was them?" Wavrick asked.

"Possibly. I have seen with my own eyes how powerful Alteration can be in the right hands. I'm sure it can be harnessed to create a bit of snow"

"I'd hardly call this 'a bit' of snow, but I understand how you are thinking. You need to find out if this is possible, though. Perhaps the Mages' Guild needs to be consulted on the matter"

"Good idea, I shall go to the guildhall immediately"

"No, Lando, we need to go to a place of higher authority. Someone needs to go to the Arcane University"

"In the Imperial City? Such a thing is quite risky, don't you think?"

"Yes, but it must be done. In any case, nobody can perform this task until the snow has cleared. Anyway, thank you for your report, Captain, you are free to go"

_Later that night, the Armitage household_

Something was wrong with Alaina. Lando could tell. She had been untalkative since the aftermath of the battle of Chorrol, and was being unusually cold towards Lando. He thought about this as he lay in bed, trying to get to sleep, Alaina doing the same next to him, and came up with a very simple solution – it was simply that time of the month.

Then, he heard voices outside, coming from the guards, communicating with each other across the town.

"_Several figures are approaching the town, north gate"_

"_Man the gate, alert orange"_

"_Who would make a journey to Chorrol in weather like this?"_

Lando began to get out of bed. "I'd better go and make sure everything's alright"

"Why?" Alaina complained. "Don't you trust the guard to handle it by themselves?"

"I do, but you know I lead from the front lines" Lando replied.

"Don't you think you are too brave for your own good sometimes, Lando?"

"What do you mean?"

Alaina climbed out of bed. "Everywhere you go, you end up putting yourself, and me, in danger! I've lost count of the number of times I've been close to death over the last month!"

"I don't ask that you come with me everywhere, Alaina" Lando said, placing an arm on her shoulder. "Knowing that you love me will suffice"

"Lando, I only helped you fight the terrorists in Morrowind because you promised that you would take me somewhere safer when it had all finished! And where do I end up? Somewhere where the political corruption doesn't matter anymore because everything is buried under four feet of snow!"

"Alaina…"

"It's over, Lando. I am returning to Morrowind"

Alaina strode over to the door, walked out of the room and slammed the door shut. But as she did Lando heard other sounds.

A bow being fired.

A scream of pain.

Voices. "_They're heading for the castle! Stop them!"_

"Alaina!" Lando yelled. "Don't go outside!"

He hastily pulled on his Mithril mail-coat, picked up his sword and ran as fast as he could downstairs. He saw the front door wide open, and Alaina running down the street towards the south gate. Then everything happened at once.

A cloaked figure leapt out of the shadows and tackled Alaina to the ground, another running up to her and sharply hitting her on the head with a club, knocking her out. The two men began to quickly drag Alaina towards the south gate.

Lando made to run after them but a powerful pair of hands gripped him from behind. He felt cold steel touching his neck, and a voice.

"Tell us what we need to know and this will be a lot less painful for you!" it whispered.

"What do you need to know?" Lando said, adding a fake element of fear to his voice. He knew what was going on.

"Where is Count Wavrick?" the voice whispered. Lando suddenly leapt backwards, slamming his attacker into the wall of his house, causing him to momentarily slacken his grip. This was all Lando needed – he wrenched himself free of the attacker and drew his sword.

"Thanks for telling me your plans" Lando said coldly as he plunged his sword into the figure's chest. His attacker was an Imperial man, wearing a black robe, and carrying a bow in addition to the dagger.

Lando ran as quickly as he could towards the south gate. The other two men, also wearing black robes, were still dragging Alaina towards the gate. The two guards at the gate ran towards them. One was hit in the side of the head by an arrow fired from somewhere in the shadows, and the other hit between the eyes by a small crossbow one of Alaina's attackers had drawn from his robe.

Suddenly Lando lost his footing on the ice and fell to the ground.

The south gate swung open and Alaina was dragged out as Lando tried to regain his footing.

"_He's the guard captain! Take him!" _a voice shouted. He heard footsteps running towards him. He drew his sword and turned round, just in time to block an axe being swung at his head by another of the robed figures. The robed man tried to swing his axe horizontally at Lando but Lando ducked, jumped to the side and drove his sword into the robed man's back.

"Lando! Lando!" He heard Roman's voice coming from nearby.

"Roman! Who are these people?" Lando called back into the darkness. Roman reached Lando's side and stopped.

"They call themselves the Nightblades! They're from the Legion!"

"They took Alaina! What's the situation in the castle?"

"Endrich and Marus have got the Count and they're barricaded in the north tower. We're trying to clear all the Nightblades from the castle!"

Lando began running as quickly as he could on the ice towards the south gate. "I'd appreciate it if you helped me save Alaina!" he called back to Roman. Roman began following him, sword in hand.

They ran out of the still-open south gate, but they were too late. Alaina and the two Nightblades were nowhere to be seen. The Black Road, which led to the Imperial City, had had all the snow shovelled off it or melted alchemically.

"They're taking her to the Imperial City!" Lando exclaimed.

"Follow them if you will, and I shall help you" Roman said.

"We will need more men. We must go and find Endrich and Marus!"

"Very well"

----------

Lando and Roman ran into Chorrol castle to a scene of chaos. Dead bodies, both of guards and Nightblades, littered the Great Hall. One guard stood nervously on watch by the throne.

"Hermius, what has happened?" Lando called to him.

"I think I am all that's left!" Hermius replied. "I do not know if the Count is safe, and I am too afraid to go and look!"

"Three of us are better than one or two" Lando said. "Come with us, Hermius"

Lando, Roman and Hermius all raced down the corridor towards the north tower. They reached its door – in front of it stood four guards, bound together with rope and stripped of their armour and weapons.

"Don't come closer, Captain!" one of them shouted. "It's a trap!"

No sooner had he said it when Lando felt an arrow slam into his collar-bone – most of the impact was drained by his Mithril jacket.

"Get them!" Lando shouted. He turned round – two Nightblades stood before them, both with their bows raised. Roman and Lando charged towards them, whilst Hermius drew his bow and took aim.

Hermius and one of the Nightblades both fired exactly at the same time.

The Nightblade's arrow hit Hermius in the forehead, causing his head to snap gruesomely backwards at 90 degrees.

Hermius' arrow hit the Nightblade directly in the chest. As he was wearing no armour underneath, the arrow pierced through his chest and killed him instantly.

Roman lunged forwards brandishing his shortsword and drove it into the chest of the second Nightblade.

Lando ran over to the door to the North Tower and banged on it with his fist.

"Endrich, Marus! The castle is safe!"

As Roman began unbinding the other four guards, a heavy bolt was moved behind the tower door and it swung open. Lando ran straight in – Endrich, Marus and Count Wavrick were all inside and safe.

"Endrich, Marus, we have business in the Imperial City! The Nightblades captured Alaina! We must intercept them immediately!"

"I fear they will not have taken her to the Imperial City" the Count said in a worried tone. "The ruin of Fort Nikel, near the City, was turned into a prison for heretics and those who rallied against the Empire. But I believe it to be something much worse now. No prisoners have ever returned from there"

"Then we must travel with even more haste!" Endrich said.

"Let's go to the armory" Lando said. "We need weapons – lots of them"

-----------

Roman, Endrich and Marus stepped out of the armoury, armed with seemingly enough equipment to take on the entire Imperial City. Roman and Endrich were carrying Elven claymores and shortswords and Marus a Dwarven mace. All three were decked in heavy steel armour and were also carrying bows on their backs. As they stood outside the armoury, two people joined them. The first was Lando. He was now wearing his full suit of Mithril armour, not just the cuirass, and was carrying three weapons – his glass longsword, an Elven shortsword and Alaina's Dwarven crossbow.

"I figured if we're going to break Alaina out she might as well be armed" he said.

The second person was a young mage who introduced himself as Carius Mendius.

"Excuse me, Captain, but I could not help overhearing your mission" he said to Lando. "I have something that may help you"

"What is it?" Lando asked.

"In my studies I have recently learnt how to master the art of summoning fire. I thought it might help you forge a path through the snow"

"Excellent" Lando said. He saw the mage was wearing basic Elven armour, no more than a cuirass and greaves, and was unarmed.

"The armour is my father's. He said I should wear it, as it would protect me well"

"Can you use a sword?" Lando asked, handing his shortsword to Carius.

Carius took the sword from him. "Captain, in these times everybody must know how to use a sword"

"One more thing" Lando said. He opened the palm of his hand – in it were five silver rings, illuminating the palm of his hand with an ethereal blue glow.

"They shall grant us the gift of night-eye. They are my father's, he made them with the intention of selling them and he would like them back"

"But there are only five rings" Marus said. "What will we do when we find Alaina?"

"We will thank ourselves lucky that all five of us have made it that far alive" Lando replied. "Come, we are wasting time!"

The five raced down the Black Road towards the Imperial City, Carius hurling great fireballs ahead of them, causing the snow to disappear in an instant in the billowing flames. Lando knew this would be visible for miles in the clear night. They would have lost the element of surprise – this would have to be a full-frontal assault.

Eventually they reached the sharp descent towards the Red Road which circled the Imperial city. In the glow coming from the city, and the dawn light, they could see an amazing sight. Lake Nibenay was frozen solid.

Ahead of them, the foreboding shape of Fort Nikel loomed up. All wearing their night-eye rings, they scanned the outline of the fortress for an entrance.

"There" Endrich whispered. "See the large tower? There is an opening at the base, leading into a courtyard"

"It's dangerous" Lando replied. "It will act as a choke point, it'll be swarming with guards. But it's the only way in. Gentlemen, we have a fortress to attack!"


	6. Assault on Fort Nikel

**Chapter 6 – The Assault on Fort Nikel**

"We need to secure that courtyard before they know what's hit them!" Lando whispered. "Carius, Marus, Endrich, use your ranged attacks. If you see anyone on higher ground, kill them. Roman, you and I will handle anyone on the ground. Endrich, you're on point"

Endrich and Marus drew their bows whilst Roman and Lando unsheathed their swords. They began running down the hill towards the opening into the courtyard, Endrich in front.

Endrich and Lando raced through the archway into the courtyard. As they expected, all hell broke loose. Endrich was immediately hit from the side by an arrow, the arrowhead wedging itself in Endrich's bracer but not reaching his skin. Endrich spun round, located the archer and fired an arrow back.

Lando engaged a swordsman in a duel. The swordsman was using a large claymore and Lando was struggling to fight him, and soon found himself pinned against a pillar. Then the swordsman suddenly froze with a look of horror on his face, then fell backwards, lifeless. Roman stood behind with a bloodstained sword.

Marus and Endrich were constantly ducking in and out of the pillars holding up the upper levels of the courtyard, firing arrows at the archers high up on the balconies. Carius hurled fireballs up to the highest reaches of the tower, where arrows would not reach.

"Inside! Quickly!" Lando shouted. He had located the door into the fortress, and he threw it open. All five of them ran inside, Carius letting off one final fireball which hit one of the supporting pillars and brought one of the upper balconies tumbling down in an almighty crash.

The five found themselves in the old part of the fortress, in a corridor made from crumbling stone which seemed to lead down to a larger hall. Two guards stood a short distance down the hall and spotted them immediately in the glow of their torches, and charged at the group.

Endrich and Marus began firing arrows towards the guards. They were both unskilled with bows and their accuracy was poor, but Marus managed to hit one of the guards in the chest.

"They're coming in from behind us!" Carius shouted. Dawn light flooded into the hallway as the doors into the fortress swung open and two archers ran in.

"Hold them off! Hold them off!" Lando shouted. He charged at the remaining archer from inside the hallway, brandishing his shield in front of him. He felt a heavy impact as an arrow hit his shield, causing shards of wood to splinter off it. At the last moment, Lando dropped his shield and swung his sword with all his might, hewing the guard's head clean off his body.

He turned round to see the rest of the group retreating towards him.

"There's too many!" Roman shouted. "They've sent in reinforcements from the City!"

Lando ran back to join the group. They were fighting six or seven guards – Endrich and Roman fighting with swords whilst Marus and Carius constantly backpedalled and fired arrows and fireballs at the guards.

"I'm going on ahead!" Lando shouted to the group. "Hold them off as long as you can! If it gets too hectic follow me!"

"Godspeed, Captain!" Carius called back. He drew his sword and began duelling with a guard.

Lando began to run down the corridor, not knowing what lay ahead. He heard footsteps following him. He spun round, brandishing his sword.

It was Roman.

"Roman, I'm going alone!" Lando said.

"No you're not! How can you possibly argue that one soldier is better than two?"

-----------

Lando and Roman burst into the main hall of Fort Nikel. Four guards stood in the room, and directly opposite where Lando and Roman stood was a door which was different to the rest of the interior. It was a new-looking door, forged from steel. No doubt it led down to the new parts of the fortress that the Empire had built.

"Come on!" Lando shouted. He ran into the room, swinging his sword downwards towards one of the guards. Before the guard had a chance to fight back, Lando's sword gruesomely split the guard's head in half. Another guard ran over, wielding a mace, and swung it at Lando. Lando didn't react quickly enough and the mace slammed into the side of his head, knocking him to the ground. His vision exploded into a field of stars.

"Roman!" he shouted as loud as he could. His comrade ran over and engaged the guard, skilfully moving to avoid mace swings before plunging his sword into the guard's chest. Two down, two to go.

Lando climbed to his feet and picked up his sword. Roman was fighting one of the other guards – where was the fourth?

He instinctively turned round, just in time to duck and avoid the fourth guard swinging his sword horizontally at Lando's neck. Lando crash-tackled the guard to the ground and brought his boot down on the man's chest as hard as he could. He heard the guard's ribcage cracking as blood began to pouring from his mouth.

Roman slayed the final guard and joined Lando.

"Aren't you going to finish him off?"

"No. He deserves to die in pain"

Lando ran over to the large steel door and threw it open. A narrow staircase led down into a series of caverns cut from the rock. Lando ran down the stairs, Roman following him.

They took in their surroundings immediately. The large cavern they were in was filled with cages, with three or four people in each. Then they noticed something much more appalling.

Almost all the prisoners were dead.

Lando quickly located Alaina, crouched in the corner of one of the cages.

"Thank Stendarr, she's alive!" he said. "Come on!"

Two guards ran towards them.

"They're here for the prisoner from Chorrol!" one of them shouted. "Kill her!"

"No!" Lando yelled. He began to sprint as fast as he could towards the cage Alaina was being held in. A guard standing by it, holding a bow, nocked an arrow and began to draw back the string…

Lando brought his sword down on the man's wrist, slicing his hand clean off. He fell to the floor, screaming in pain.

"Lando!" Alaina exclaimed. Lando took Alaina's crossbow and quiver off his back and passed them to her through the bars of the cage.

"Let's get out of here" he said. Alaina took the crossbow, loaded a bolt, took aim and fired, hitting one of the guards that Roman was fighting in the back of the head. Roman used the distraction to stab his sword into the second guard's chest.

"Roman, find the keys!" Lando ordered. He ran back to the staircase that led up into the fortress. He could hear many footfalls coming from heavy boots descending the wide staircase into the great hall above them.

"Endrich, Marus, is that you?" he hollered up the steps. No answer came.

"Quickly, Roman!"

Roman located a key on one of the dead guards and tossed it to Lando. Lando caught it and ran over to Alaina's cage. Miraculously, it was the right key.

"We may not be lovers anymore but we can still fight together" Lando said. He began to run back towards the staircase, Alaina following him.

Suddenly, guards began to pour out of the entrance to the stairwell. Roman didn't stand a chance. As he was fighting off swordstrokes from one guard, another smashed a warhammer down on his head. At least he had died a painless death. Lando watched the whole event in apoplectic horror.

"I'll fucking kill every one of you!" he yelled at the top of his voice as he began charging towards them, brandishing his sword in front of him.

"That's the Guard Captain! Avidius wants him alive!" one of the guards said.

"Surrender and we will spare the prisoner's life," another shouted to Lando.

"Never!" Lando yelled back, cutting the guard down where he stood with his sword. Then he saw a figure unlike all the others, wearing a black robe and hood. It was one of the Nightblades. Suddenly he was snapped back to reality by a guard swinging his sword at Lando. Lando managed to duck just in time, and swung his own sword back, slicing a deep gash into the guard's arm.

Another guard placed a blade against Lando's neck, then the Nightblade approached and stabbed a dagger into Lando's arm. He felt his whole arm go numb – it was a paralysis poison. He felt the numbness spreading through his body. Using his final ounce of strength, he leapt to his feet and plunged his sword into the Nightblade's throat. Then his eyes closed, and he fell to the ground.

-----------

When he came around, he was lying down on what felt like a carpet. Above him he could see an ornately decorated ceiling carved from a pale, marble-like stone. Archways supported the ceiling, made from the same stone.

"Captain Armitage, I believe" a voice said. Lando snapped up and saw the source of the voice – a middle-aged man wearing clothes so elaborate they betrayed his identity immediately.

It was Audens Avidius, Emperor of Cyrodiil.

"You!" Lando snarled. "The man who is destroying Cyrodiil piece by piece!"

"Captain, I wish only to speak to you" Avidius said calmly.

"I shall have no audience until you explain the thousands of innocent lives you have ended!" Lando snapped back. "Or until you explain what happened to my friends in Fort Nikel!"

"If you wish to know, your friends surrendered and are now prisoners of the Empire, as is Miss Winterstar"

"Where have you taken them?"

"Why should I tell you that, Captain? After all, we are enemies now"

Lando walked up to Emperor Avidius. He saw the Emperor's bodyguard place a hand on the sword sheathed on his belt.

"Why are you doing this?" he said through his teeth.

"To restore the purity of Cyrodiil" Avidius replied with an air of smugness to his voice. "Think of all the problems Cyrodiil had, Lando, and think who caused them. The Dark Brotherhood? The man responsible for finding new recruits is a Breton and the man responsible for gathering contracts is an Altmer. Skooma is smuggled into Cyrodiil by Dunmer, and Moon Sugar by Khajiit. And what of Mankar Camoran, the Altmer? Need I go on?"

"So you just conveniently ignore the fact that the Grey Fox, when he was unmasked, turned out to not only be Imperial but a nobleman?" Lando retorted. "And was the Champion of Cyrodiil not a Redguard? Is the Grandmaster of the Blades not a Breton?"

"You cannot do anything to stop what is happening, Lando" Avidius said, changing the subject quickly. "Perhaps while I am here you can help me"

"Why should I help you?"

"The snow, Lando. Do you have any idea where it is coming from?"

Lando shook his head. "It has frozen the Empire. It was very nearly the end of me. I would like to know as well"

"Captain, you are free to go" Avidius said. "But know that as soon as you leave this room you will be arrested"

"I'm not exactly 'free to go' then, am I?" Lando retorted.

"Lando, even if you were, what would be the point in your freedom? You and your little revolution will not be able to topple the Empire"

"I am going to put a stop to this" Lando said authoritatively.

"You and whose army?"

"Me and my army. Every honest citizen in Cyrodiil who can wield a weapon. I hope the walls of the Imperial City are strong"

"But where will the fearless Captain Armitage be without the loyal support of his friends?" Avidius said. He pointed behind him. "I hoped it would not come to this"

Lando turned round. Endrich, Carius and Marus stood blindfolded, a guard behind each of them holding a dagger to their necks. Avidius clicked his fingers and the guards slit each of their throats. Lando watched in horror as the dead bodies of his friends fell limply to the ground.

"Are you going to surrender yet?"

Lando shook his head. "I am not going to give up until I see your head sliced clean off your body!"

"Then perhaps this will persuade you"

Lando looked towards the doorway into the chamber. Alaina was shoved in by a guard, also blindfolded.

"You are one of the few people I have met who truly do not deserve to be alive" Lando said. He swung his fist as hard as he could into Avidius' face, sending the Emperor flying backwards.

"He's behind you, Alaina!" Lando shouted. Alaina responded immediately, thrusting her leg backwards into the guard's groin. Lando crash-tackled the Emperor's bodyguard to the ground and kicked him in the stomach, and while he was there he spat in Avidius' face.

"Damn, that felt good" he said to himself. He wrenched the Emperor's bodyguard's sword from his hands, and ran.


	7. Third Revelation

**Chapter 7 – Third Revelation**

The three guards who had killed Endrich, Carius and Marus began converging on him immediately as he raced towards the door, and Alaina. He reached Alaina and pulled the blindfold off her head, then began running down the spiral staircase in front of him, dragging Alaina, her hands still bound, behind him.

"Where are we?" he called back to her.

"White Gold Tower! I overheard the guards mention it!"

_White Gold Tower. _He thought of a well-known story. A thief had broken into White Gold Tower and escaped down an ash flue which led into the Imperial sewers. The flue had been in the quarters of the Imperial Battlemages. The staircase didn't lead any further up, so they must have been down.

"Get these bindings off me, Lando!" Alaina said. Lando stopped and used his sword to cut through the bindings and free Alaina's arms.

"Let's go!" Lando said. He began running as fast as he could down the stairwell. He could hear the guards following them.

Shortly they came out in a large circular corridor. A guard ran at Lando but Lando was quick to take him down with his sword. Alaina took the fallen guard's sword.

Lando and Alaina reached a door marked 'Imperial Battlemages' Quarters'.

"Here we go!" Lando said. He kicked the door down and ran in.

The room was empty.

"There! By the fireplace!" Lando ran over to the fireplace and threw the trough containing still-burning coals out the way, revealing the ash flue underneath.

"Press your hands and feet against the walls to slow your fall" Lando said to Alaina. "I don't know how far down it is"

Lando leapt down into the vent, digging his hands and boots into the walls of the chute to slow his fall. Above him, he heard Alaina doing the same. After 50 feet of so of descent, they reached solid ground.

"Arcane University" Lando said. "It's the only safe place for us in the City"

"How do we get there?"

"It's South…" Lando said. He had completely lost all sense of direction.

"Are the guards following us?"

At this moment Lando realised that the guards had not confiscated his Night-Eye ring. He looked back up the ash flue – nothing.

"I think we've lost them" Lando looked around. There were four ways they could go – through a wide pipe, down a corridor, through a door that appeared to be locked or along a small channel of water. Lando chose the corridor.

"If in doubt, go the way that looks the least treacherous" he said to Alaina.

----------

After following the long and winding corridor, they finally turned a corner and saw daylight pouring through a large gate at the end of the tunnel. Lando looked through the gate. He could see a large stretch of ice ahead of them – Lake Nibenay. But beyond it he could see the large bridge that bridged the Nibenay River on the south of the Red Road.

"Thank the Nine, we chose the right way" Lando said. The gate swung open with ease and they both climbed out into the snow.

Behind them were the tall white walls of the Imperial City. The path leading from the sewer exit led up to a bridge across a small gully, on the other side of which stood a grand tower – the Arcane University.

"I can't believe we managed to escape" Lando said. "Come on, we have almost reached safety!"

-----------

_The Arcane University, entrance hall_

"The University is poorly guarded, Raminus" Lando said. Before him stood Raminus Polus, a leading figure in the University.

"Lando Armitage… The last news I heard you had been captured and brought before the Emperor himself!"

"That is true, and I miraculously managed to escape"

"Incredible. Your reputation precedes you, Lando. Anyway, back to your question, we are no longer guarded by the Imperial Battlemages, not since the revolution started. Our own Destructionists are our private guard now. In any case, there are few Battlemages left now"

Lando looked at Raminus, puzzled.

"You know not of the Battle of Skingrad? Happened two evenings ago now"

"News of this has not reached me. Is Skingrad safe?"

"The Empire sent a battalion of some seventy Imperial Battlemages to Skingrad. But they had a tough journey through the snow, and were fighting a heavily fortified city with the best guard in Cyrodiil and a Mages Guild branch specialising in Destruction. I hear four men of Skingrad were killed, and not a single Battlemage returned"

"This is good news" Lando said. "As long as Skingrad is safe, so are Kvatch and Anvil"

"Lando, we must talk… Where is that young woman who was with you?" Raminus said, looking around the hall.

"I'm not sure. She was here a minute ago, wasn't she?"

Raminus nodded. "Only a fool would have gone back into the City though. She must be within the University somewhere, therefore she is safe. Come, follow me"

"You look as though you have a lot on your mind, Lando" Raminus said as the pair walked through the grounds of the Arcane University.

"The last twelve hours or so have brought many great losses to me" Lando replied. He began to recount the events since the evening before – the Nightblades attacking Chorrol, and the attack on Fort Nikel. He told Raminus of the deaths he had witnessed – his great friend Roman Andrius, as well as his loyal comrades Endrich and Marus, and Carius, the mage who was little more than a boy when he had met his end. He also told of Alaina leaving him, and how their escape from White Gold Tower may have been the last time he ever saw her.

"I don't even have weapons" Lando sighed. All he had was the clothes he had been wearing under his armour and the sword he had taken from the Emperor's bodyguard.

"I had a fine suit of Mithril mail, and a glass sword given to me by an Argonian who I considered my best friend"

"Come with me" Raminus said, opening the door into the Mystic Archives and ushering Lando in. The room was empty.

"Lando, have you had any encounter with the Nords since the beginning of the revolt?"

Lando's mind was cast back to the battle of Bruma, and the Nord missionary who had arrived just before the battle.

"A missionary from Skyrim told us that Azura had ordered the Greybeards to help our cause, or something like that"

"It all makes sense then!" Raminus explained. "It is the Greybeards who are responsible for this dastardly weather!"

"But how is this aiding our cause?"

"That I do not know, I'm afraid, Lando. I am hoping that it will become clear sometime soon. Difficult times are upon us, Lando. The victories at Chorrol, Bruma and Skingrad, and the defeat at Bravil, were seen as signs to begin the revolution. I feel a great battle is ahead of us. The Empire will strike hard soon"

"I must return to Chorrol" Lando said. "I believe my business in the Imperial City is done"

"First I have something to give you" Raminus said.

Raminus opened a glass display case that was located in the Mystic Archives, and lifted from it the most exquisite sword Lando had ever seen. Its handle was forged from jet-black ebony, and the blade from a beautiful golden metal. Raminus handed it to Lando.

"This is Goldbrand, the sword used by the Champion of Cyrodiil to slay both Mankar Camoran and Mannimarco, The Worm King. I would like you to have it"

Lando took the sword. The handle felt warm, almost hot, and as he gripped it he could almost feel the sword's power surging through him.

"Truly, this is the weapon of a hero" Raminus said. "Return now to Chorrol. I hope that one day we speak again"

Before he left, Lando was given a suit of Mithril armour from the armoury. Raminus explained that the Guild frequently explored Ayleid ruins and had found many fine examples of Ayleid craftsmanship. Raminus also gave Lando a fine Elven amulet, also recovered from an Ayleid ruin.

"May it keep you hidden from unwanting eyes" he explained.

"You will not find Alaina before you leave?" Raminus said as Lando walked towards the University gate.

"No. She has no care for me anymore, so I have no care for her. Besides, I think this is the best place for her to be"

-----------

Lando stepped out onto the solid ice that Lake Nibenay had become, and began walking west, back towards Chorrol. He was wearing the amulet Raminus had given him, and holding his hands in front of his face he realised that it had made him almost completely invisible, a shadow against his surroundings. He would be able to leave the city safely without being sighted by guards.

He had almost reached the western shore of the lake when he heard a colossal explosion from behind him, rocking the ground he stood on. It had come from the Arcane University. What had happened? Had it been an accident, or something else? Lando began running back towards the University.

-----------

Lando reached the bridge that led from the Arboretum across to the Arcane University. To his alarm, he saw several Imperial Legion soldiers running across the bridge towards the University.

He drew his sword and ran up the bank onto the bridge, driving his sword into one of the Legion soldiers as he mounted the bridge. He was more collected now, more focused. Battling off another two Legion soldiers, he ran into the Arcane University.

The main door through the Arch-Mage's tower had been locked by some arcane spell, but the Legion soldiers had used gunpowder to blow down the iron gates on either side of it and fight their way into the University. Running towards one of the left-hand gates, Lando caught the four Legion soldiers attempting to fight their way past the Mages' Guild soldiers by surprise, thrusting his sword into one then another.

At this point he realised he was still wearing the amulet and was, for all intents and purposes, invisible to the soldiers he was fighting. Unable to find their hidden foe, the two remaining soldiers swung their swords blindly at thin air until Lando slaughtered them both. He pulled the amulet off and ran into the University.

"What's going on?" he asked one of the Spellswords guarding the gate. "Where's Raminus?"

"We're under attack!" the Spellsword replied. "I believe Raminus is at the other gate!"

Lando raced around the Arch-Mage's tower and saw Raminus running towards the gate, then unleashing an enormous fireball from his hands. Screams of pain filled the air.

"Lando! Thank the Nine!" Raminus said, spotting him. "The Legion has declared war against us! We cannot hold off much longer! We have sealed the main door but we are not sure how long it will hold!"

Suddenly, four Legion soldiers raced across the bridge from the City holding a battering ram, sending it careering into the main door. Wood splintered, but the door held.

"Bring them down!" Raminus yelled to those around him. "Lando, get in the tower! If they get in, stop them!"

Lando nodded and ran back round to the door of the tower. Out of the corner of his eye, standing on a balcony on one of the University buildings with a fine Elven bow, was Alaina.

"Alaina!" Lando called to her. "Help me hold the tower!"

He saw Alaina disappear back into the building and soon she appeared from the door on its ground floor.

Lando, Alaina and two Spellswords stood tensely in the ground floor of the tower. Every so often, the very foundations of the building would shake as the Imperial battering ram slammed into the door. Alaina held an arrow nocked in her bow, and Lando stood with sword and shield ready.

The next time the battering ram hit, it broke a large gash in the door.

"Get them!" Lando shouted. One of the Spellswords ran up to the crack, and a bolt of lightning sprang forth from his hands, hitting one of the Imperial soldiers and killing him instantly. He was met by an arrow, which lodged itself in his arm.

"I'm OK! I'm OK!" the Spellsword said, drawing a shortsword from his belt. "Let them come!"

"They're breaking in!" Alaina called back through the rear door. Two more fighters came in, swords in their hands.

The battering ram hit once more, this time smashing the door clean in two. The three Legion soldiers dropped the ram, drew their swords and charged into Lando's group. As Lando and the spellswords were fighting them off, he saw something much more alarming – the full extent of the invasion force. The Arboretum, visible across the bridge, was filled with Legion soldiers who were now racing across the bridge to the University.


	8. Lando's Departure

**Chapter 8 – Lando's Departure**

"We cannot hold them!" Lando shouted.

Suddenly, in the centre of the bridge, a towering Xivilai materialised, wielding a mighty Daedric broadsword. The Xivilai began hacking through the Legion, causing enormous destruction and panic. Lando looked behind him, and saw Arch-Mage Traven, his arms raised in front of him. Traven drew a staff and blasted a ball of arcane frost into the front rows of the Legion.

Lando fought hard, Goldbrand light in his hand slicing through the Legion. It was no good. There were too many of them.

"Fall back and lock this door!" Arch-Mage Traven said, placing his hands on the portal that led up to his chambers and extinguishing the glow emanating from it. He raised his hands once more and summoned a second Xivilai in the centre of the tower. Lando plunged Goldbrand into one final Legion soldier then ran backwards through the rear door back into the University. Everyone else followed suit, and Traven placed his hands on the door, sealing it more strongly than any lock could.

"We are besieged!" Lando said. "Is there no other way out of the University?"

"There is a secret passage in the Mystic Archives" Traven said. "It comes out on the southern shores of the lake"

"We must make for the passage, then!"

"And then what?" Alaina asked.

"Then to Chorrol. As long as I am defending it, it will be safe"

"We would be forgiven for not trusting you, after you lost all of your best men in that bungled raid on Fort Nikel!" Alaina retorted.

Lando stood in shock. Alaina must have known that the attack had been made as an attempt to rescue her. How could she have said something so ungrateful? What had happened to the kind, intelligent alchemist merely trying to make a living who he had first encountered in Morrowind? He felt the urge to drive Goldbrand into her chest, but resisted.

"We will make for Chorrol" Traven said, breaking the silence. "It is much safer there than it is here"

"Then let us go immediately" Lando said, making for the Archives.

"Raminus! Pull everyone back to the Archives!" Traven called to Raminus. Raminus relayed the orders to the soldiers trying to defend the two side gates. They began retreating towards the Mystic Archives, whilst Raminus and Traven summoned Daedra to take their place fighting at the gates and holding the Legion back.

---------

Everyone made it to the relative safety of the Archives and Raminus sealed the door shut with a spell.

"Everything in here will be lost as soon as the Legion find their way in" Raminus sighed. "It is a great shame, there are some true treasures in here"

Traven raised his hands above his head, and something remarkable happened. All the ancient books, all the rare artefacts in the building, suddenly disappeared.

"It's an invisibility spell, something I've been working on" Traven explained. "When it is safe to return here I shall reverse the spell. We must make for the passage"

Traven's bodyguard, a Dunmer named Gilreth, walked over to the wall and tapped it eight times, then six. The section of the wall swung open on a hidden hinge, revealing a passageway leading underground, which everybody ran into.

"You need to change the password for that gate, Arch-Mage" Lando said as they made their way down the passage. "Even I worked that out"

"What do you mean?" Traven asked.

"Eight taps followed by six. The number of letters in Hannibal Traven"

When they had been running for a few minutes, Traven turned round and held his staff to the ceiling, letting a bolt of lightning spring forth from it. The power of the lightning caused the roof of the cavern to collapse behind the group.

"Let's see them follow us now" he said to himself, running to catch up with everybody else.

_Chorrol, that evening_

The group had miraculously managed to avoid both the Imperial city watch and any patrolling groups of Legion soldiers when they arrived in Chorrol, tired and weary. Michtur Todviaron, the steward from the castle, made his way to the south gate immediately.

"Captain, what news? You return with no-one who you set out with" he asked Lando.

Lando recounted the story to Captain Wavrick – the attack on Fort Nikel, the death of Roman, being brought before the Emperor, the merciless slaying of Endrich, Marus and Carius, and the fight at the Arcane University.

"The University was overrun" Lando said. "I was forced to lead everyone to safety. I'm afraid the last part of the old Empire in the Imperial City has been lost"

"We shall find homes for those you have rescued here in Chorrol, Captain" Michtur said. He looked at the group of people walking through the gate into the city.

"Where is Alaina?" he asked. "You said that you rescued her"

"I thought she was with the group" Lando said, noticing Alaina was missing. "She was in the tunnel when we escaped from the University"

"We can send out a search party if you desire"

"There is no need. She planned to return to Morrowind. If she left us on the Red Road she would be halfway to the border by now. Where is Count Wavrick?" Lando asked.

"He has travelled to the West Weald, to Anvil, to attend a council of war with Count Janus Hassildor and Countess Millona Umbranox. He has been gone since this morning"

"We must stay alert, Michtur" Lando said. "I don't believe the nobility of Cyrodiil to be safe from harm anymore. Remember, last night an attempt was made on his life"

"I will tell the town guard to remain alert. If Anvil is attacked we must go to its aid"

------------

Lando opened the large wooden door of the Chapel of Stendarr and walked in. A few people were in the chapel, including Gureryne, who was sitting on one of the pews reading a book. He got up quickly when he saw Lando.

"I have news, Lando" he said gravely. Lando had given Gureryne a sample of his blood the last time he was in Chorrol, so Gureryne could attempt to find the source of Lando's chest pains.

"Lando, I must know what happened to you in Morrowind. Were you at any point affected by magic?"

"I was" Lando said. "When I disappeared, I had been kidnapped by terrorists. They enchanted my body with a spell that would cause an enormous explosion if another spell was cast. But the only person who knows that spell is dead"

"The enchantment was done poorly" Gureryne said. "There is no easy way to tell you this…"

Gureryne stopped.

"In that case, tell me straight" Lando said.

"You are dying, Lando" Gureryne said sadly. "The enchantment is spreading through your body like a cancer. I fear you do not have long left to live"

"How long?"

"I predict you have around a month until you begin to lose strength. After that, you will slowly deteriorate for I don't know how long"

"And there is nothing you can do?"

Gureryne shook his head. "I truly wish there was, son. You take the news very well"

"That is because one month is long enough to organise an attack on the Imperial City to overthrow Emperor Avidius. If I can free Cyrodiil from his grip I will die a happy man"

"The least I can offer you is this" Gureryne said, handing a glass phial to Lando. "Angalmo made it for you. Drink a small amount if the pain returns and it should diminish the pain. It is made from very rare ingredients. I have not asked Angalmo what he had to go through to get some of them. Once this bottle expires there is no more"

"Thank you, Gureryne. You have been a great help"

"Godspeed to you, Captain"

-----------

"Father, I must tell you something" Lando said as he stepped into the Armitage household. Lucius was the only person still awake, sitting at the table working on enchanting a dagger.

"Sit down then, son" Lucius replied, placing the dagger to one side. Lando recounted everything – the enchantment upon his body, and how it was slowly killing him.

"The ghosts of what happened in Vvardenfell have caught up with me" Lando said. "I thought that once Warlock was dead that would be the end of it. But I was wrong"

"Nobody else knows, do they?" Lucius asked.

"Just you, me and Gureryne" Lando said. "I figure that everyone's morale is fragile enough as it is without hearing this news as well"

"What will you do now?" Lucius asked.

"What I set out to do as soon as I returned to Chorrol" Lando replied. "Overthrow Emperor Avidius. After that, who knows"

"Give me your mail-coat, Lando" Lucius said. "There is something I can do for you"

Lando obliged and handed his Mithril mail-coat to Lucius.

"I will see you tomorrow, Father. I am in great need of rest"

-----------

Lando lay awake in his bed, his head spinning. He felt just as he did when he found out that he was at the heart of the terrorists' plot in Vvardenfell – helpless. His friends were all gone, and he was leading the good people of Cyrodiil into a battle that he was starting to think he could never win. For the first time in his life, Lando began to cry. He got up out of bed, took Goldbrand and walked out of the room and downstairs. Lucius was still at the table. He handed Lando the Mithril mail-coat, which was now glowing and sparkling even more than it had before.

"It will protect you against the weapons of the Imperial Legion, son" Lucius said. "It cannot help you against magic, but you are fighting soldiers, not mages"

Lando thanked his father and put the mail-coat on.

"Are you going somewhere?"

"I heard a sound coming from outside the city walls" Lando lied. "I am going to investigate"

_Dawn, somewhere south of Chorrol_

Lando did not know where he was, or where he was going. Through the trees he could see a distant town which may have been Skingrad or Kvatch.

"I will make for Anvil, and sail to Summerset Isle" he said to himself. "I will live with the elves for the rest of my days"

As he headed further south, the snow became less thick. It still coated the ground as far as the eye could see, but the covering was much thinner, only four or five inches. As he walked, he could see wolves and bears wandering through the forest but they did not bother him, and simply went about their business. All the time he could feel a burning pain in his chest. It waxed and waned in intensity – at times he barely noticed it, other times he had to stop and lie down, drinking sips of the precious potion Gureryne had given him to alleviate the pain.

As the day progressed, Lando realised he was well and truly lost. He should have passed either Skingrad or Kvatch by now but he hadn't. He must have veered to the west and be heading for Hammerfell.

Lando threw Goldbrand to the ground, sat down and buried his head in his hands. What was the use of carrying on? He had already destroyed the morale of his remaining soldiers in Chorrol by deserting them, and the only hope left for Cyrodiil was a battle he could never win. Almost everyone he cared for had disappeared from his life in a short space of time the previous evening.

He heard footsteps approaching, the snow crunching under heavy boots.

"Are you OK there, brother?"


	9. The Divine Avenger

**Chapter 9 – The Divine Avenger**

Lando slowly turned his head to see the source of the voice. A tall Redguard man stood, looking at Lando with concern. However, what struck Lando the most was what the man was wearing. He had seen the Redguard's armor in paintings of the Battle of Bruma… being worn by Emperor Martin Septim. It was widely known that there was now only one person in Cyrodiil in possession of Imperial Dragon armor.

"You cannot be…" Lando said, standing up and bowing before the Redguard.

"Yes, I am the Champion of Cyrodiil" he replied. "At least, I was, until I returned from a long journey to find what had happened to Cyrodiil. What sort of hero would let something of that sort occur?"

"It must be difficult seeing what you risked your life for crumbling like this" Lando said. The Redguard nodded.

"I'm Lando, by the way"

The Redguard shook Lando's hand. "I'm The Divine Avenger"

"Quite a name" Lando remarked.

"That's what they called me back in Cyrodiil. I've been away from civilisation for so long I cannot even remember my real name"

"Where have you been? The Oblivion crisis was over ten years ago!"

"Yes. After that I left the cities. I wanted to see more of Tamriel. I've lived in the wilderness for ten years, become one with it. I have explored the ruins of the Ayleids and learnt enormous amounts about them. I have learnt everything there is to know about the Daedra, the Divines and the Mythic Times… Ha, you have my old sword!"

Lando looked down at Goldbrand in its sheath. He remembered Raminus saying it used to belong to the Champion of Cyrodiil.

"Take it back" Lando said, offering Goldbrand to The Divine Avenger. "I have no need for it anymore"

"Everybody has need for a weapon, Lando, whether they like it or not" the Redguard said. "And this sword has served me well for all the time I have had it"

The Divine Avenger drew a sword from his belt – jet-black but possessed of a pale blue glow.

"Daedric?" Lando asked, admiring the blade.

"Aedric, even rarer" The Divine Avenger replied. "I am confident that there isn't another sword like this in all Tamriel. Anyway, Lando. You have heard my story. What is yours?"

They both sat down in the snow as Lando told The Divine Avenger the story of his life, from his participation in the Oblivion crisis, fighting to protect the Emperor in both Bruma and the Imperial City, being kidnapped and taken to Morrowind, thwarting the terrorist group the Meric Liberation Front, and everything that had happened since his return to Cyrodiil.

"An amazing tale, Lando. Where are you travelling to now?"

"I do not know" Lando replied. "Nor do I care. I am simply journeying south until I can journey south no further"

"If you have come from Chorrol like you said you are quite far off course" The Divine Avenger said. "Come on, eat with me. You could use some rest"

_Just outside Bravil, the previous night_

Alaina walked briskly, her hood covering her head and her bow in her hand, constantly watching for danger.

She saw a pale glow in front of her. She froze in fear as she saw a ghostly form moving towards her. There was nothing she could do to fight it – her Elven bow would have no effect and she was without the silver dagger she used to always keep with her. She turned and ran.

"Alaina! Stop!" a disembodied voice called. It sounded like it had come from the ghost. Alaina froze.

"Who are you?" she called into the darkness.

"You do not recognise my voice?" the voice replied.

Alaina did recognise the voice. She had never felt so relieved in all her life.

"Swordsman! Is it really you?" Alaina raced towards the ghost. As she got closer, she could see the Dunmer's features in the ghost – his long, greying hair and his neat beard.

"It's wonderful to see you, dear girl" the ghost said. "It is a shame I am not truly alive"

"What are you doing here?" Alaina asked.

"I cannot die as I have a debt to pay" Swordsman's ghost said. "Lando helped me restore peace to my homeland, I must do the same to him"

"Lando" Alaina sighed. "I presume you know what has happened in Cyrodiil, then?"

"Yes, I do know. Word reached Morrowind quickly, through all of my kinsmen forced back there out of Cyrodiil"

"Lando promised me safety, and instead I have ended up here"

"Lando did not willingly put you in danger" Swordsman said. "Alaina, I believe soon there will be a large assault on the Imperial City by the people of Cyrodiil. I intend to join the fight against Emperor Avidius. I only ask that you do the same. Not for Lando, but for me"

"Of course I will" Alaina said. "After all, I would not be able to fight at all if it weren't for you!"

"Excellent. Bravil is no more than an abandoned ruin. We must make for Leyawiin and pledge our allegiance to them!"

_Somewhere in County Kvatch, the present day_

The Divine Avenger led Lando up a steep hill to a campsite he had made. A large metal trapdoor, crudely fashioned from pieces of scrap metal and locked with a large padlock, lay sunken into the ground. The Redguard knelt down and opened the padlock with a key on his belt.

"It's a weapons cache. I've got a few scattered around these parts. Take anything you need. There is a battle ahead"

"A battle? How do you know?" Lando asked. The Divine Avenger pointed to the southeast. It was a clear day and Lando could clearly see the road which led from Anvil all the way to the Imperial City.

There were many figures walking along the road, all in the direction of the Imperial City. A large temporary campsite was also visible in the fields surrounding Skingrad. Lando noticed something about the soldiers – they were all wearing town guard armour. There were the brick-red uniforms of Skingrad, the silver uniforms of Kvatch and the brown uniforms of Anvil.

"It seems the people of Cyrodiil are finally making a stand" The Divine Avenger said.

"But how will they attack the Imperial City? The only access is along the bridge from Weye!"

"Are you sure about that? You told me you left the Arcane University by walking across the frozen lake…"

"Of course!" Lando exclaimed. "The water around the City is frozen solid! They can attack the City from all directions!"

"Precisely. There are points like the prison and the Arcane University which are guarded a lot less heavily than the bridge"

The Divine Avenger drew his sword. "Lando, I am going to join the attack against the Imperial City. Are you?"

Lando deliberated for a long time, then nodded. "I still have a duty and I shall fulfil it"

"We must make for the road to the south and join the army there"

"No, we will return to Chorrol. I will fight alongside my old allies!"

_Chorrol, The Great Oak_

The north gate of Chorrol swung open and two weary-looking figures ran into town.

"Captain Armitage! You have returned just in time!" a guard said. "You must find Raminus Polus, he was placed in command in your absence!"

Lando saw Raminus by the Great Oak, talking to Arch-Mage Traven. Lando ran over to him.

"Lando! I can't tell you how worried I have been…" Raminus said.

"My apologies, Raminus. I had given up all hope. Then I came across The Champion of Cyrodiil, The Divine Avenger. He persuaded me that there is still hope. We can launch an assault on the Imperial City and be victorious!"

"We know we are going to battle but you are the first to sound positive that we can win…" Raminus said dubiously.

"Raminus, the ice! We can attack the Imperial City from all directions! Us and Bruma from the North. Cheydinhal from the East. Leyawiin from the South. Anvil, Kvatch and Skingrad can storm the bridge!"

"So the Nords did create the snowstorm to help us after all…"

"The armies of the West are already on the move, Raminus" The Divine Avenger said. "We should depart soon"

"You two both arrived just in time. We are preparing to ride out as we speak" Raminus said.

Half an hour later, every able-bodied fighter in Chorrol left the city gates on the road to the Imperial City. At the front of the army were Lando, The Divine Avenger, Raminus and Arch-Mage Traven.

"You're sure you can still cope with battle, old man?" Raminus said jokingly to Arch-Mage Traven.

"Ask me that again when I've slain twice as many Legion soldiers as you are likely to, young man!" Traven replied.

The Chorrol force was made up of the entire Town Guard, every member of the Fighters' Guild and two other people. Rufus Mendius, the father of Carius, and Lucius Armitage. The army had planned to meet and join the armies from the West Weald on the western shores of the lake, out of sight of the City.

Throughout the night, three armies marched towards the Imperial City. The alliance of Chorrol, Skingrad, Kvatch and Anvil, led by Lando and Arch-Mage Traven. The combined forces of Leyawiin and the Order of the White Stallion, commanded by Mazoga the Orc and the ghost of Swordsman. The men of Bruma and Cheydinhal, led by Jauffre and Captain Burd, By dawn, the Imperial City was surrounded.


	10. The Battle of The Imperial City

**Chapter 10 - The Battle Of The Imperial City  
**

"I am worried they may be preparing to break out" Arch-Mage Traven said. "I sent one of my mystics to the bridge to cast a Detect Life spell and it showed a large concentration of beings just behind the gate"

"The bridge is well-guarded enough to withstand it" Jauffre replied. The leaders of all three armies had gathered at the bridge for a council of war.

"Lando, Arch-Mage Traven, your force is the biggest so you shall storm the bridge and break into Talos Plaza. Myself and Captain Burd will lead an attack on the bridge between the prison and the Market District. Mazoga, Swordsman, your forces must secure the Arcane University and use it as a foothold to attack the Arboretum. We will converge in Green Emperor Way"

"As you command, Grandmaster" Swordsman's ghost said.

"What is the signal to begin the assault?" Lando asked.

"I shall cast a glowing light high into the sky" Jauffre replied. "When you see this, charge!"

"That sounds familiar, doesn't it?" Swordsman muttered.

"I am hoping it will go slightly better this time" Lando replied. "Oh, and it's good to see you again, Swordsman"

"Likewise, Captain" Swordsman replied. "I look forward to fighting alongside you again"

As Swordsman and Jauffre began to return to their battalions, Lando took Raminus to one side.

"Raminus, there is a curse upon my body" he said. "At times it can cause a burning pain so great I am left paralysed. There isn't time to explain the details"

"Stay with myself and the Arch-Mage" Raminus replied. "If anything happens, I'm sure between the two of us we know enough about magic to get you on your feet again"

"I'm going to be on the front lines" Lando said. "Not on the backlines casting spells. Can you use a sword?"

"Yes, and I can summon myself a damn good one from the realms of the Daedra too"

"It still won't be as good as my sword" Lando said. "Gather our men at the end of the bridge, we must await Jauffre's signal. I'll lead the army across the bridge, you attack from the shoreline and we'll convene at the gate to the Talos Plaza"

-------

Minutes later, a great ball of light shot into the sky, almost as bright as the sun, coming from somewhere in the north. Jauffre's signal.

"Charge!" Lando shouted at the top of his voice. No sooner had he done so when the gates of the Imperial City opened and an enormous amount of Imperial Legion soldiers poured out onto the bridge.

Lando led the men of Chorrol and Skingrad in a charge along the bridge.

"Once we start fighting, begin to retreat!" Lando ordered as he ran. "We need to let Raminus' men flank the Imperials!"

The clashing of the two armies was brutally spectacular, each side fighting for their own vision of Cyrodiil. Lando had been sure to place the most experienced fighters at the front of the ranks to add force to their attack – he had gathered the finest Imperial and Redguard swordsmen and Orcish hammermen he could find in the army. The Imperial Legion were overwhelmed and began falling back along the bridge.

"Don't let them retreat!" Lando shouted. He swung Goldbrand hard, slaying another brace of Legion soldiers. Next to him, The Divine Avenger was doing the same, fighting hard but not pushing forwards, allowing himself to be forced back as the Legion won more ground on the bridge.

-------

Down on the frozen lake, Raminus and Arch-Mage Traven led the men of Kvatch and Anvil. They reached the shore of City Isle and began climbing the bank.

"Archers! On the battlements!" Captain Lex of the Anvil guard shouted. The men were being pinned down by a hail of arrows, holding their shields to protect their heads and being unable to climb the bank.

"Return fire!" Raminus shouted, turning to his company of archers and signalling them to fire. They did so, returning a volley of arrows and knocking several men off the battlements of the City.

"Raminus, get some Daedra up there!" Traven shouted. Raminus began reciting a spell whilst concentrating on the battlements, and before long a Xivilai appeared on the battlements.

"And so Daedra attack the Imperial City once again" he said to himself.

----------

Meanwhile, Swordsman and Alaina were carrying out their plan to reclaim the Arcane University. As Alaina led the Leyawiin Watch and the remaining Bravil guard towards the secret entrance to the Mystic Archives, Swordsman and Mazoga led the Knights of the White Stallion towards the University across the frozen lake.

As Swordsman's men mounted the bridge that connected the University to the Arboretum, the expected happened – the Imperial Legion broke out of the city and began attacking Swordsman's men.

"Fall back!" Mazoga shouted. "Fall back to the University!"

The swordsmen of the White Stallion, led by Mazoga, battled with the Legion whilst retreating along the bridge, and the White Stallion archers unleashed volleys of arrows into the Legion force. Swordsman, immune to the Legion's regulation steel weapons, stood at the front of the chaos fighting the Legion with a conjured sword.

Soon, they were forced back into the University, past the Arch-Mage's Tower and into the main grounds of the University.

"To the Chironasium!" Mazoga ordered. The White Stallion men began a full-scale retreat into the Chironasium building, where the door was closed and barricaded. Swordsman broke out of fighting the Legion soldiers and raced towards the Mystic Archives.

"Where's the ghost going?" a Legion soldier shouted.

"Who cares?" his commander replied. "Find a battering ram! Break that door down!"

-----------

An enormous explosion ripped through the tunnel far underneath Lake Rumare, resulting from one of Alaina's explosive potions. The cave-in Traven had triggered was cleared, and the Leyawiin guard ran through the smoke, soon emerging in the Mystic Archives, where they were confronted by Swordsman.

"I worried you had not made it!" he said to Alaina. "We must break out before it's too late!"

Alaina readied her bow and signalled the Leyawiin men to break out of the Mystic Archives building, whilst Swordsman vanished through the wall in the direction of the Chironasium.

The Leyawiin guard burst forth from the Mystic Archives and devastatingly collided with the Imperial Legion, catching them by surprise and taking down many of their number. Shortly after they had begun their attack, the door to the Chironasium flew open and Mazoga flew out, immediately slaying two Legion soldiers. The Knights of the White Stallion followed her. The Legion began to retreat.

------------

"Force them back!" Lando shouted. "They cannot be allowed to reach Weye!" The Legion had done as Lando had planned – forced them back across the bridge, leaving the sides and rear of their number exposed. However the retreat had been too effective and Lando's men had almost been forced off the bridge. He made a hand-signal to his men to charge forwards as he plunged Goldbrand into another Legion soldier. _Come on, Raminus…, _he thought to himself.

On the shores of the lake, Raminus and his men had finally climbed the bank and were making their way along the perimeter of the city wall towards the bridge. Raminus and Captain Lex led the group, with several Xivilai and Dremora summoned by mages filling their ranks.

"This is it, we must defeat the Legion presence here then secure Talos Plaza. This is the big push. Godspeed to you, men!" Raminus said. "Charge!"

Raminus' army began running towards the bridge, slamming into the side of the Legion force and effectively splitting them in half – some men trapped on the bridge, others falling back into the Talos Plaza.

"Captain!" Raminus called to Captain Lex as he fought with his conjured sword. "Help Captain Armitage secure the bridge! We are going to take on the plaza!"

It did not take long for the remaining Legionnaires on the bridge to be killed – Lando's men attacked from one side and Captain Lex's from the other. They had nowhere to go.

"Prepare to assault the Plaza!" Lando ordered to his men. "What are our losses?"

"We did well, I believe we only lost around 10 men" The Divine Avenger said.

"We were decimated by the Imperial archers" Raminus said. "We do not have nearly as many men left as we set out with"

"From here we are one giant army. No splitting into groups, we stay as one" Lando said. "We need to clear the Talos Plaza then move onto Green Emperor Way!"

The entire army charged into the Talos Plaza. There were few Legion soldiers left and they were quickly killed or forced back to Green Emperor Way.

"We must hold our ground here" Lando said to his men. "We need to await the signals from Jauffre and Swordsman. Raminus, send out our signal!"

Raminus cast a glowing ball of light, the same as Jauffre had used to signal them earlier, into the air.

---------

"It's Lando's signal!" Baurus said, pointing to the sky. "If only we could call them for aid…"

Jauffre, Baurus and several other Blades were in a dire situation. They had attempted a discrete assault from the sewers but the Legion had anticipated them and were waiting for them. They were now trapped in what was little more than a storage area and had barricaded the gate shut. The Legion were trying to break down the barricade, whilst Captain Burd and his men were vainly trying to fight their way to the Blades from the other side of the Prison plaza to help them.

"If we take too long we could place everything in serious jeopardy!" Jauffre said. "We must break out! For Cyrodiil!"

Baurus removed the planks they had used to barricade the gate and kicked it open. The Blades all charged out and began bravely fighting against the myriad Imperial Legion soldiers.

Baurus and Jauffre stood back-to-back, using each other as support as they fought off soldier after soldier. Suddenly, Jauffre felt Baurus go limp against him. Plunging his katana into the soldier he was fighting, he turned round to see Baurus lying on the ground, blood pouring from his throat. There was nothing Jauffre could do but avenge Baurus' death. He picked up Baurus' katana and began fighting again, one katana in each hand.

He raised his sword to slay a soldier but stopped when he saw the signature yellow uniform of the Bruma guard on the soldier.

"Jauffre! You are safe!" the soldier said.

"Only just" Jauffre said. "What's the story on the rest of the plaza?"

"We are driving them back towards the City" the soldier replied. "Captain Burd says we should make a push to reclaim the Market District"

-----------

As the recombined Blades fought their way through the Market District, Swordsman and Mazoga slayed the last of the guards fighting to defend the Arboretum. Swordsman sent his signal up into the air, and shortly later Jauffre did the same. The time had come to launch the attack on Green Emperor Way.


	11. The Tower

**Chapter 11 – The Tower**

Green Emperor Way was crawling with Legion soldiers, who had been forced back into it from the earlier battles. As Lando's men broke down the gate from the Talos Plaza into Green Emperor Way, they were almost immediately forced back as the Legion tried to break out.

Lando soon found himself trapped against a wall, trying to fight off four soldiers at once. He was managing to block them with his shield whilst fighting them one at a time but he could not hold them…

Suddenly a jet-black sword sliced clean through the neck of one of the soldiers, before The Divine Avenger leapt forwards and plunged the sword into another member of the Legion.

"Lando! To White Gold Tower! We have to go and kill the Emperor whilst there is a distraction!"

Lando backed off, slaying a third soldier with Goldbrand. It was not going to be easy – they would to fight their way across Talos Plaza.

As himself and the Divine Avenger began to fight their way through the Legion, The Divine Avenger noticed something. Bursts of colour coming from Green Emperor Way. Magic.

"It's Swordsman!" he shouted. "His men must be attacking the Legion from behind!"

"We can sneak around, then!" Lando replied. "Through the Temple! Come on!"

As Lando and The Divine Avenger raced towards the gate leading to the Temple District, they passed Raminus and Arch-Mage Traven.

"Raminus!" Lando said. "Hold them off for as long as you can! I need to be able to get into the tower!"

Raminus nodded and turned back towards the fight.

The Temple District was completely empty. All the guards stationed there were fighting somewhere else and no citizen in their right mind would have stepped outside during the battle.

"That's what we need right now!" The Divine Avenger said, pointing at the statue of Akatosh towering over the Temple of the One.

Lando and The Divine Avenger ran into the Arboretum, which was being used by the healers to heal wounded soldiers from Swordsman and Mazoga's company. As they ran through towards the open gate into Green Emperor Way, one of the healers shouted to Lando.

"Lando! Where are you going?"

It was Alaina.

"Why aren't you fighting?"

"We are trying to get into White Gold Tower whilst there is a distraction!" Lando replied. "It's time to end this!"

"I'm coming with you!" Alaina said, picking her bow up from the ground.

------------

"Cunning, Lando" Emperor Avidius said to himself as he watched the battle from his chamber window. He had seen Lando and The Divine Avenger running around Green Emperor Way to the point of entry to the palace that was 180 degrees round the circle from where the main battle was. The Emperor turned to his second-in-command.

"Wait until they are in the tower and ascending the stairwell, then pull all our men back to the Palace" he said. "Let's see Captain Armitage escape from that"

Emperor Avidius began putting his armour on, and picked up his sword. When Lando arrived, he would be ready.

---------

"They're retreating!" Captain Lex shouted to Raminus. The Legion had begun to retreat out of Talos Plaza back towards the Palace. "We can besiege them in the Palace!"

"No! They cannot!" Raminus yelled. "Lando is in the Palace! They must not be allowed to retreat!"

Raminus then did something amazing – summoning a Daedroth, he leapt onto its back and began riding it through the retreating Legion soldiers!

---------

Three figures ran up the long, endlessly spiralling staircase that led up White Gold Tower. Lando was in front, Alaina behind him and The Divine Avenger at the back.

They could hear footsteps behind them.

"There's guards following us!" The Divine Avenger said. "Shall we stop and fight them off?"

"No, we don't know how many there are!" Lando replied. "We must continue!"

Eventually, they reached a large round hall where the stairwell stopped. Across the hall was another door. Lando raced over to it and attempted to open it – it was locked.

"You two, watch the stairwell! I'll get this door open!"

Alaina looked at him inquisitively as he produced a lockpick.

"I learnt a few things from Ah-Mazia back in Morrowind" he explained. He began to manipulate the lock on the door, giving it 100 concentration. He let Alaina and The Divine Avenger watch for distractions, devoting himself to the lock.

Suddenly he heard the creaking of a door opening.

"Lando!" he heard Alaina shout. He leapt up and turned round. He could not believe what he saw.

Guards were filing out of a secret door that had opened in the stone wall.

"Don't kill anyone until I give the order!" a voice came from beyond the door. Lando recognised it at once – it was Emperor Avidius.

Lando, The Divine Avenger and Alaina were soon overpowered by the guards, who tackled them to the ground and seized their weapons. Emperor Avidius stepped out into the hall.

"Lando Armitage!" he spat. "I might have known!" He signalled the guard holding Lando to let him go.

"You cannot win, Avidius!" Lando said. "You are defeated! The people of Cyrodiil have forced your Legion back to the palace and they will not stop! Kill us if you will, but you cannot save yourself! You are trapped in the tower!"

"That's where you're wrong" The Emperor said. "There is a way out of this tower, known only to me. I could leave my guards to kill you whilst I made my escape"

"And then what?" Lando said. "The Imperial City is reclaimed. Your Legion is on the verge of defeat. Where will you escape to?"

"Who knows. But at least I will be alive!" The Emperor replied.

"Did you hear that?" Lando shouted, turning to face the Emperor's guards. "Your Master does not care for your lives, only for his. Are you going to stand for this?"

Some of the guards began to look around and whisper to each other. The Divine Avenger addressed the guards.

"Even if you do survive, think of the consequences. This day will go down in history. Do you want to be remembered in the history books for siding with an evil man?"

"You!" The Emperor replied to The Divine Avenger. "Who do you think you are? You are no hero. You were Martin Septim's lackey. The man he sent time and time again into danger, where he would not go himself. And Alaina Winterstar, an alchemist? What business does an alchemist have in battle?"

"I could place an arrow right between your eyes if I had my bow" Alaina retorted. "Tipped with a poison more venomous than your tongue…"

"Let's end this" Lando interrupted. "Emperor Avidius, knowing the size of the army currently knocking at your front door, do you surrender?"

"Absolutely not" Emperor Avidius said. "Do you? Or are you going to try and go down fighting?"

The Divine Avenger saw something out of the corner of his eye. A golden glint, a few yards from where he was standing. It was Goldbrand, lying on the ground. He wrenched himself free of the grip of the guards restraining him, and in one swift movement he leapt towards Goldbrand, picked up its handle and skimmed it across the floor towards Lando.

He heard many swords being drawn from their hilts. What had he done?  
"No, put your weapons down!" Emperor Avidius ordered. He drew his own sword, then picked up Goldbrand and handed it to Lando.

"This is an honourable duel, Lando" Avidius said. "We were both guard captains once. We should prove a fair fight to each other"

"What's the catch?" Lando asked. "You will not give in this easily"

Avidius turned to his guards. "If he kills me, kill him. And those two" he said, pointing to The Divine Avenger and Alaina.

Lando brandished Goldbrand in front of him. Avidius lunged forward and swung his sword hard. Lando blocked the blow but was knocked backwards. Avidius ploughed forwards, swinging his sword left and right, Lando blocking every blow and trying to get a blow in himself. Avidius was much stronger than Lando, and the fight was swinging in his favour.

Lando ducked to avoid a horizontal swing from Avidius and thrust his sword into Avidius' leg. The sword penetrated Avidius' armour like a hot knife cutting through butter. Avidius fell to the ground in pain. Lando reclaimed his sword and held it over Avidius, who was still lying on the ground. Then suddenly he felt pain. Unbearable pain, in his chest.

_Not now. Of all the times, not now!_

Lando dropped his sword and fell to the ground, doubled up in pain. He could see the figure of Avidius towering over him…

Mustering his last ounce of strength, Lando took Anglamo's potion from his belt and drank a small amount. At the same time, he took the amulet Raminus had given him and looped it around his neck.

Everyone in the room was amazed – Lando simply vanished into thin air.

"Where has he gone?" one of the guards said. His question was answered when Avidius was sent flying forwards and fell into the ground face-down, hit by a tremendous force from behind. Lando removed the amulet and re-appeared behind Avidius. He stood over the Emperor and held Goldbrand above his chest.

"Lando…" Avidius said weakly.

"No. You cannot dissuade me from doing this" Lando said. "This is for Cyrodiil. And for my friends who you murdered"

He plunged Goldbrand into Avidius' chest. Avidius' eyes went wide with horror before his head fell limply to one side.

Lando pulled Goldbrand out of the Emperor's dead body and let it drop to the ground. He turned to the guards and held his arms up.

"Come on, then" he said. "Kill me. Emperor's orders"

"Absolutely not!" one of the guards said. "We are free of Avidius' grip now. We do not have to follow his orders! Cantus, send the order to surrender down to the Legion"

One of the guards made his way towards the stairwell. Lando called after him.

"And tell my men to stop fighting!"

Alaina ran forward and embraced Lando. They stood for a long time, holding each other in their arms.

"We did it… You did it!" Alaina said. Tears began to well up in her eyes. "I was a fool for ever doubting you!"

Lando looked into Alaina's eyes, then held her head in his hands and kissed her.

The Divine Avenger laughed and began to clap. The remaining guards joined in.

"Well, would you look at that for a happy ending!"

-----------

Lando stood on the steps leading down from the entrance of the Palace, into Green Emperor Way. The midday sun glittered off his Mithril armour. In front of him, an enormous crowd of people. Everyone who had fought in the battle, and the citizens of the Imperial City.

"Soldiers and citizens of Cyrodiil" he began, "Cyrodiil is free once again. I have little to say, but I must thank you all for your help. The revolution may have started from a house in Chorrol but without the support of every single soldier and citizen of Cyrodiil we would still be living under Avidius' grasp. So, many thanks to you all. You may return to your homes, victorious!"

Everybody began to cheer and talk noisily amongst themselves. Lando began to walk down the steps, where Raminus and Arch-Mage Traven were standing, and The Divine Avenger emerged from the Palace and followed him down.

"In the famous words of Martin Septim, wasn't much of a speech, was it?" he said.

"I heard Avidius was an expert negotiator" Raminus said. "You're probably talked out from arguing with him. Anyway, come on, let's see if any of the inns have re-opened yet"

"I must wait for Alaina" Lando said. "She said she wanted to look for something in White Gold Tower. Make for Luther Broad's, I'll meet you there"

Lando felt a tap on his shoulder. He turned round to see Alaina, holding a sword in her hands. Lando recognised the sword straight away, the green glass blade shimmering in the sun.

"I found it in the Emperor's quarters, from when he confiscated it from you" she said. "I knew you'd want it back"

Lando smiled and put the sword into the hilt on his belt, and handed Goldbrand to The Divine Avenger. "Yours, I believe"

"It's funny how things come around, isn't it?" The Divine Avenger said. The other four turned to look at him. "Remember the Oblivion crisis? It culminated in a last stand in the Imperial City, and left Cyrodiil without an Emperor"

"We managed to last until Avidius came to power" Arch-Mage Traven said. "We just need to keep an eye on anybody rising to power in the future"

----------

Many hours later, Lando stood with Alaina and Arch-Mage Traven in the centre of Weye. Nearby, Jauffre, The Divine Avenger and Raminus mounted a caravan bound for Cloud Ruler Temple. Before they departed, Lando ran over to the caravan.

"None of what has happened would have been possible without any of you" he said. "Raminus, Jauffre, our attack on the Imperial City would surely have fared a lot worse were you not commanding our armies. And I had almost given up hope, when none other than the Champion of Cyrodiil himself gave me the strength to continue. I will never forget any of you"

"We'll never forget you either, Lando" Raminus said. "I, too, had lost hope before that time you arrived at the Arcane University. Having you on our side gave us hope, drove us to continue. Oh, by the way, tell Alaina to come and find me sometime. I believe she would make an excellent scholar of alchemy"  
"I have this for you" The Divine Avenger said, handing Lando a wooden chest. "It contains my Imperial Dragon armour. You may have it. You are the hero of Cyrodiil now"

"I cannot take this" Lando said, handing the chest back to The Divine Avenger. "You earnt this. It's yours"

"_Last caravan to Anvil!" _a voice called. Lando made his goodbyes and walked briskly back into Weye.


	12. Epilogue

**Chapter 12 – Epilogue**

_Cloud Ruler Temple, The Great Hall, the next day_

"We cannot go on as we did before Avidius was Emperor. We need someone in charge of our nation, to oversee the restoring of Cyrodiil to its former glory" Jauffre said. In the room were himself, The Divine Avenger and Raminus Polus.

"It is a shame Lando could not be here" The Divine Avenger said. "I believe he would make a fine Emperor"

"Lando has left us" Raminus said. "He told me he had a curse upon his body, that he was dying. He has left Cyrodiil, but I don't know where he has gone"

"Then there is one candidate left" Jauffre said. "Arizan" he said, turning towards The Divine Avenger and addressing him by his real name, "I believe you should be the next Emperor of Cyrodiil. Chancellor Ocato was a fool not to crown you Emperor immediately last time"

"I don't know what to say…" Arizan said. "Other than yes. I will do it!"

----------

Many miles south, in Anvil, Lando walked along a wooden bridge towards a ship. The skipper stood at the entrance to the boat.

"Another for Summerset Isle? 150 Septims if you will" the skipper said. Then he looked Lando in the face.

"It's you, isn't it?" the elderly skipper said. "The one who ended Avidius' reign of terror?"

Lando nodded.

"Then I grant you free passage to Summerset Isle" the skipper said, ushering Lando on board. "It's the least I can do to thank you!"

"_Lando! Wait!" _Lando heard Alaina shouting from the harbourside. She ran down the plank.

"I'm coming with you!" she said. "I know what is happening to you. Your father told me. But I want to be with you for the rest of your days"

Lando stood in stunned silence. He still loved Alaina, but he could not forget the events that had occurred the previous week.

He turned to the skipper. "It's a bit cheeky, I know, but can she come on board for free as well?"

The skipper laughed and ushered them both on board.

"Why Summerset Isle, then?" Alaina asked.

"I don't know, I've just always wanted to go there" Lando replied. "Somewhere nice to die, I suppose"

-----------

One more figure boarded the ship before it set sail – Swordsman.

"Lando, just so you know, the snow? It's there because of me" he said to Lando. Lando looked at him disbelievingly.

"It's true. I approached Azura herself and asked her to persuade the Nords to help you. I must say, I was expecting them to send an army, not a blizzard…"

"A Nord army cannot walk on water" Lando replied. "What happened was a much bigger help than any more soldiers could have been. Thank you"

"Where are you going to go now, Morvyn?" Alaina asked the ghost.

"Who knows. I may go and find a ghosthunter who will kill me. I feel I have served my purpose in Tamriel"

"Goodbye, my friend" Lando said to him. "Maybe you should go and find Raminus Polus. I believe you two would make excellent friends"

"Lando, I know you don't have long left, but make the most of it" Swordsman said. "You are a great man, capable of many things. Who knows where fate may lead you in Summerset Isle"

"No, he's staying out of trouble from now on!" Alaina said quickly.

_South of Bruma, that night_

Raminus walked briskly through the snow, holding the glowing staff in front of him. The snow around him was melting instantly, flowing down the hill into the now-thawed Lake Rumare.

"Don't you have followers to do this for you?" Raminus said. Behind him were three Flame Atronachs, and at the back, surrounded by a ring of fire, was Azura.

**The End**


End file.
